


Calling Out the Conceited

by forlornTimekeeper



Series: Yourself Or Someone Like You [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Developing Relationship, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Romance, F/M, Mild Language, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-12
Updated: 2015-07-01
Packaged: 2018-03-30 05:08:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 60,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3924043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forlornTimekeeper/pseuds/forlornTimekeeper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The whole thing was fucked up, really. Based on a stupid mistake over coffee you ended up getting involved with the most conceited man you'd ever had the displeasure of associating with. And somehow you liked it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The more I write this the more I think it's my subconscious trying to deal with shitty past relationships, so read at your own discretion.

Did you hate your job? No, not really. Did you hate your coworkers? They could stand to be a little more competent most of the time, but still no. Did you hate the people you regularly had to deal with between 6am and noon? Almost no.

 

 _Almost_.

 

Sure, waking up obscenely early without even having the opportunity to bitch at the sun for being too bright really sucked a lot of the time. But the little café you practically managed was actually enough to be worth it, it was a chill little place, sort of out of the way, and most of the people you dealt with were polite and quiet.

 

Save for the mob of hipsters that rolled in around ten, demanding ‘secret menu’ items, and then getting fussy when you physically just didn’t even have the means to make them happy, all because Starbucks was suddenly too mainstream and apparently there was nowhere else to go. But even those idiots didn’t make the ‘almost’. Oh no. That pleasure was reserved _specifically_ for Seto Kaiba.

 

Usually you could duck away into the back and find something to do, leaving your poor miserable coworkers to deal with him. Sometimes you even felt a little guilty, until they opened their mouths and the only thing that came out was “uhhh”. Christ it was pathetic. You weren’t particularly intimidated by him, not _really_ , you just didn’t feel like you deserved to have to deal with his prissy attitude at 7:30 on the occasional morning he stopped by.

 

Even Mokuba stopped by sometimes by himself, and on a general note you actually like Mokuba. He wasn’t nearly as much of a prude, he willingly held conversations with you, and that lead the two of you to having some kind of close acquaintanceship. But the simple pleasure of enjoying Mokuba’s company was not enough for you to willingly deal with Kaiba.

 

So when he strode in through the front door, you frantically looked for someone to take over the front, deflating visibly as no one was to be found. _Dammit_. Well, as least he brought Mokuba along, maybe he’d be more civil in front of his younger brother.

 

“Hey you,” Mokuba greeted, flashing his teeth in a wide grin. “How’s work so far?”

 

Bless him he was an angel. “You mean before you walked in?” you offered playfully, secretly directing it at the one looming over Mokuba rather than actually at him.

 

But he took it in good grace… well as much as he could until Kaiba stepped in.

 

“We’re not here for small talk, I need to get to work.”

 

 _Dick_. “So what’ll it be then,” _ya fuckin’ prick_. You smiled though, hoping to at least irritate him with your pleasantness. And since you already knew what Kaiba Jr. wanted, you turned your smile upwards politely.

 

“Just black coffee.”

 

“Uh, I’m actually getting ready to make another pot,” you replied, and you weren’t lying, that’s what you would have been doing provided someone else had been around to cover for you.

 

“What’s wrong with it?” he demanded, though at least with a moderate tone that didn’t echo off the walls.

 

You grimaced, figuring he’d insult you for being an idiot and screwing up a simple pot of coffee. “I made it a little too strong.” Which was true, and it _had_ been a stupid mistake, so you just prepared for the string of foul words you had assumed he’d throw at you.

 

“There’s no such thing.”

 

Your brow furrowed in confusion, but instead of questioning him further you simply obeyed the deepening scowl and scrawled their names on a pair of cups. You took his card and swiped it before handing it back over the counter. “Well, just let me know if it’s too strong,” you offered, because now he couldn’t say you hadn’t warned him.

 

“I told you there’s no such thing.”

 

 _Whatever. Jackass._ Since no one else had stepped into the line you went about ordering someone else around and got to pouring Mr. High and Mighty’s coffee into the fancy paper cup. You handed that one over first so you could help with Mokuba’s, pausing to make sure Kaiba didn’t hate his first.

 

You didn’t say anything to him, and he didn’t say anything to you about not liking it. Though, he did pass you a twenty dollar bill and walked off, telling Mokuba he’d be waiting in the car. You stared down at the bill in confusion, then back up at the younger brother. “What’s this for?”

 

Mokuba simply smiled and stated that it was a tip.

 

 _“A tip for what_?”

 

“He liked it, and probably expects you to serve him again the next time he’s here.”

 

 _Good thing you were there every morning_. “Jesus, why doesn’t he just eat coffee grounds then?”

 

The other smiled as his drink slid across the counter in front of you and you passed him a straw. “I really wouldn’t put it past him,” he stated. And even as he walked out you still weren’t sure if he was actually joking or not.


	2. Chapter 2

Well Mokuba hadn’t been _wrong_ , as Kaiba continued to show up for the next four consecutive days, demanding that _you_ make him a pot of coffee regardless of whether or not one was already made. In retrospect you supposed it was his weird way of telling you that he liked the way that you made coffee and everyone else could go drown in it. In fact, he had said something along those lines at one point and every girl in the back threw you hateful glares for it.

 

It didn’t really matter though, he kept tipping you extra, and you figured as long as you made him shitty, overly-strong coffee he might just make you a wealthy lady. In fact, by the end of the week, he’d nearly doubled your paycheck. And even though you still hated him, his money looked pretty damn nice sitting in your bank account.

 

He did bring Mokuba back in one morning the week after, and you were relieved to see the mane of hair bob in next to his older brother. You greeted the shorter with a smile, ignoring the other completely, and propped your elbows on the counter and your head in your hands. “What’s up cutie pie?”

 

Mokuba grinned cheekily and replied with a cheery greeting of his own, and you did your best to write off Kaiba’s voiced annoyance at the exchange.

 

“So I’m assuming the usual?” Mokuba nodded and passed over his own card this time, and your eyes flicked upwards to Kaiba’s with curiosity. But his expression never wavered and you decided that maybe sometimes Mokuba just liked being nice and covering the bill, since he could do it as well as his brother could.

 

When you handed over their drinks Kaiba passed you a folded sheet of paper without needing to look in your direction. “Come talk to me before we leave.”

 

Well that was strange. But as he sat down on the farthest couch away from you and shoved his nose in his laptop, you figured he’d be staying at least for a little while. Mokuba didn’t offer any other information and simply thanked you with a smile and took up a space next to his brother.

 

For the next two hours you went about your business, bitching at people under your breath and making sure everyone had something to do. Since the actual manager hardly ever showed her face – and acted like a raving bipolar lunatic whenever she did – people just tended to grow comfortable under your role of stand-in manager. You were way nicer in comparison anyways.

 

As 9:30 rolled around you noticed the Kaiba brothers pack up their things to leave, and you sidled out from behind the counter to see what Kaiba had wanted with you. As you approached you fished out the folded sheet of paper he’d handed you earlier and glanced at it, confused.

 

“What is this?”

 

He buttoned his trench coat and picked up his briefcase, only flicking his eyes to yours to make sure you were paying attention. “Your new work schedule. I expect you to be here in the evenings when I stop by.” He turned on his heel without another word and exited through the door, leaving Mokuba with you.

 

“Hey!” you called out, “Wait just a minute!” But he was already gone. You looked back down at your schedule and noted the late evening hours he expected you to work in _addition_ to the early morning hours. “Oh hell no,” you hissed, nearly crumpling the paper and tossing it at Mokuba, demanding that he smack some sense into his brother.

 

But he only grimaced at your expression, and offered a simple apology before leaving after the other.

 

No wonder he wanted you to wait until _as they were leaving_. He didn’t want to give you the chance to protest and make a scene. Jackass. But you stepped into the back where the tiny employee room was to pin up the new schedule, making a note to call your boss as your phone rang. You habitually answered without checking the number.

 

“Hello?”

 

“ _I already spoke to your boss about your new hours, so don’t think that whining to her will change anything. If you aren’t there when I come by-_ “

 

“Kaiba? How the hell did you get my number!”

 

“ _That’s irrelevant._ ”

 

“You seriously don’t think that I’m going to just show up so you can have your shitty coffee do you?”

 

“ _If you don’t you’ll be out of a job._ ”

 

He hung up. “That fucking prick!”

 

It didn’t help matters that you _really_ needed to keep your job, and that you’d had a hard enough time getting it in the first place. Your skillset didn’t offer very many options, so you knew until you finished your degree online, you’d be stuck most likely waiting on people.

 

You just didn’t want to wait on Kaiba. And at this point it wasn’t waiting on, it was bending over backwards for. Which was completely ridiculous.

 

But that was fine. Two could play this game.


	3. Chapter 3

Sure enough, Kaiba stopped by that evening for another cup of coffee. Well, technically, it was well past evening, borderline late at night, but that was fine. The place was nearly empty since it was a weekday, and you had already prepared him a pot. You saw the limo pull up and figured you might as well have it ready for him so he could leave quicker.

 

As you set his cup on the counter he strode in, his trench coat billowing superfluously. Actually, his entire outfit was superfluous, but you really thought that he could’ve done without the coat. It looked stupid.

 

He came in silently, took his coffee, and paid you without a word. It was nice to not have to hear his voice, _so nice_. But when you looked down and noticed that he only barely gave you enough to cover the coffee, your mood was a little shot. He didn’t tip you like he normally did.

 

And he continued to not tip you for the next few of his evening visits. But that was fine, you figured it was time to put your little plan to good use anyways.

 

* * *

 

It was Friday, the café closed after lunch on the weekends, and it was the perfect opportunity to get back at him. He’d have to wait to get coffee again until the following Monday – as he generally didn’t stop by on the weekends – so you were going to make this last cup as awful as you could manage, just to ruin his day. And just to save yourself the trouble – and to cover your ass – you dumped the rest of the batch so you could pretend it was the last for the night.

 

 _Ha. Take that Seto Kaiba,_ you thought smugly as he walked up the steps into the café. You tried really hard not to smile quite so happily, you didn’t want to give away that you had done it on purpose. Thankfully he didn’t comment on your unusually positive demeanor when he waited for his coffee, and you simply handed it over as politely as you could.

 

He took one sip and glared, obviously displeased. “It’s not strong enough,” he stated, turning his eyes on you. “I thought I told you you’re the only one allowed to make coffee when I come in.”

 

“Oh I apologize, I _did_ make it. Are you sure it’s not strong enough?” Yeah you were a bitch for trying to kill him with utter kindness. And you were also a fool for thinking that it’d work. Because it didn’t.

 

“Make another pot.”

 

 _What? You have_ got _to be kidding me._ “I’m sorry, sir. That’s the last pot for the night.” You accentuated ‘sir’ as much as you could, just to shove in his face that you were still acting according to your job description.

 

He seemed bored with your tone, and simply restated his demand, but with far more authority the second time. “I said make another pot.”

 

“We’re out of coffee,” you blurted, probably out of reflex.

 

He sighed as his irritation with you grew. “How about this. Make another pot, or _you’re fired_.”

 

 _Demanding, selfish ass_. “You can’t fire me, I don’t work for you.”

 

Even though he still wasn’t impressed with your rebellious attitude, you could tell by the way he set his jaw that he was losing patience in you. When you failed to move in order to fulfill his request he pulled out his phone and you watched him dial some number.

 

You could only assume it was your boss. “Fine, _fine_. I’ll go make another pot. Jesus.”

 

Well that backfired quite unceremoniously, and maybe you should’ve known better. He was Seto Kaiba, and he almost always got what he wanted. But neither his money nor his success impressed you, and you didn’t feel any remorse for treating him like any other asshole you’ve ever dealt with. He was a conceited son-of-a-bitch and you were most certainly not afraid of him.

 

* * *

 

After the little fiasco Friday night you just stuck to making him the worst batches of coffee you could manage, slowly decreasing the amount of water you used just to see if he’d notice. Maybe at some point you’d just hand him a cup full of coffee grounds and he’d chew them without a second thought. That was certainly an amusing mental image.

 

The next time he visited in the morning he brought Mokuba again, along with his briefcase, indicating that he’d be staying for a while. _Oh great, Satan came to visit me again._ You rung them up without a word, scowling the entire time as your mood plummeted from already excessively frustrated to a level of pissed off that might have given you the motivation to tell Kaiba to fuck off in front of everyone if he even so much as opened his mouth.

 

Your sour face still didn’t leave even after he’d sat down with his coffee, and Mokuba was left waiting for his own and watching you intently. Eventually he piped up, and you tried really hard not to bitch at him.

 

“You seem really upset, is everything okay?”

 

It was a simple question and not one that deserved a snarky assed response, but you couldn’t help yourself. “Why don’t you ask the bags under my eyes.”

 

He frowned and took his coffee, already aware of what you meant. He left without a word and you ignored the both of them for a little while at least.

 

You were particularly terse with your orders today, and you pretended not to notice the glowers and hushed curses the others directed at you. They could all piss off. The rush was almost over, and that was at least something to look forward to.

 

Until it _was_ over and Mokuba shuffled back over to the counter looking sheepish.

 

“What is it, Mokuba?” you droned, rubbing at your tired eyes.

 

“Seto wants you to take a break until he leaves,” he said oddly, twisting his face to show that he was a little worried as to why his brother had made such a request, and knew that if you asked he couldn’t offer anything helpful.

 

 _That fuck better not start anything. I might bite him._ “Fine.”

 

You removed your little green apron, hung it up in the back and made your way very slowly over to Kaiba. He was typing methodically on his laptop, and paused when you approached.

 

“So to what do I owe this displeasure?” Your arms folded across your chest habitually, and you couldn’t help but notice that they were a little sore. _Great, no wonder I’m such a bitch. Mother Nature wants to stop by, too._

 

He didn’t look up from his work, but handed over his phone and told you to sit. Alarms weren’t really sounding in your head, so you obliged by sitting as far away from him as possible, resisting the temptation to chuck his phone out the window.

 

“What do you want me to do? Take calls for you?” It was a joke. You’d meant it as a joke.

 

“Yes.”

 

 _Fuck!_ “Why can’t Mokuba do it?”

 

“Don’t argue with me. I’m giving you a paid break.”

 

Well if he was going to tell you to take a break and then pay you for it why the hell not. “Alright, fine. So what’re the specifics?”

 

He paused, scanning over something on the screen under his nose, and then passed you a sheet of paper. “If the name at the top shows on the caller ID, give it to me. If any of the other number calls, tell them I said to fuck off. If they call again, give them a hard time.”

 

You thought it over, and to be honest, it felt like a damn good way to blow off some steam. “Do I have to act like a polite secretary?”

 

Maybe you’d imagined it, but you thought he may have smirked. Just a _little_.

 

“Only initially. If they’re an ass I don’t really care what you say to them. And don’t go through my phone.”

 

You snickered, spinning it around between your fingers. “Why, do you save all the nudes that people send you?”

 

Well at least you got Mokuba to laugh a little bit, that was something. And Kaiba didn’t get the chance to retort before his phone began vibrating.

 

It displayed one of the outed numbers on the list he’d given you, so you waited through two rings before answering. “Thank you for calling Kaiba Corp. How may I help you?” Mokuba looked highly amused and you grinned, only half paying attention to the man on the phone. “I’m sorry, sir, Mr. Kaiba wouldn’t like to be bothered at the moment… No, sir, I’m a stand-in, she’s out.”

 

Kaiba glanced at you and you pulled the phone away to answer him, figuring what he was questioning you for. “He knows I’m not the ‘usual’ secretary,” you explained, then went back to telling the guy off. “I’m sorry you feel that way but I have strict orders to tell you to fuck off.”

 

You hung up.

 

Mokuba was chewing on his straw amusedly, smiling as you grinned to yourself. “Well you’re certainly less of a push-over than the other girl,” he commented, and you noted that Mokuba seemed to have gotten Kaiba’s attention.

 

You looked back down at his phone, a question floating in your mind. “So how come they’re calling _your_ phone and expecting your secretary?”

 

Again, without looking at you, he answered as flatly as possible. “I gave her paperwork to do, so I had her route calls directly to me so she wouldn’t get distracted.”

 

Huh, that sounded awfully… considerate. Or maybe it was a way for him to let her know that if she screwed up the paperwork even _without_ distractions she’d be fired. Tough job.

 

His phone began to ring again. And you continued to answer as his secretary, telling people that ‘Mr. Kaiba was not to be disturbed’, and then giving them a nasty goodbye if they gave you lip about it. Mokuba was quite entertained with you, Kaiba seemed indifferent, but you were thankful for the opportunity to get a little heat out of your system.

 

Then a _real_ asshole called. You’d told him the same thing you’d told everyone else, and promptly hung up. He called back almost immediately. This time, you weren’t so nice.

 

“Look, sir. I just do what I’m told, okay?... _Excuse me!?_ ” Oh there was no way in hell he just called you Kaiba’s little plaything. “Let me tell you something, I take orders because it’s my job, and I take my job seriously. You can fuck off.” You hung up again.

 

For a moment you thought maybe he wasn’t going to call again, but when he did Kaiba instructed you to put him on speaker so he could listen to the conversation. But otherwise let you say whatever you fancied. “Listen here, dickwad, he doesn’t want to talk to you, and frankly, neither do I.”

 

“ _Then why don’t you go right ahead and hang up so you can go suck off your boss then. You’re wasting my time._ ”

 

Mokuba’s hand flew to his mouth. Kaiba narrowed his eyes, but remained silent.

 

You were furious now, and figured you might as well let him have it. “First of all, Kaiba isn’t my boss. Second of all, unlike you, I don’t need to suck anybody’s dick to keep my job.”

 

At this point Mokuba was practically in stitches. Kaiba still didn’t say anything.

 

“ _Sweetheart, the only reason you’ve got a mouth as big as you do is because your job_ is _sucking his dick. So why don’t you just stick to what you’re good at and go play Kaiba’s little whore.”_

 

Kaiba had had enough and took his phone from your hand, muting whoever was on the other line. “I will _not_ have you disrespecting my employees to such a degree. If you try to contact me again, you _will_ be out of a job.”

 

You glowered at the floor between your feet as he hung up, but you were thankful that you’d been able to calm yourself down, even if it was mostly at others’ expenses. Also, you really had Mokuba going, and making people laugh made you feel good. So whoever that guy was could go suck is _own_ dick.

 

Kaiba closed his laptop and pocketed his cell phone, then pulled out a bill and handed it to you. “Here, take the rest of the day off.”

 

You snatched the hundred from his hand and smiled gratefully as he walked away, then turned your grin to Mokuba.

 

He matched your smile and wrapped an arm around you in a sort of hug. “You’re a _lot_ more fun than the other secretary is,” he said, waving as he left with his brother.

 

Okay, Kaiba still sucked, but he just paid you a hundred dollars to basically insult people because he was too busy to do it himself. Now his money looked even better in your bank account.


	4. Chapter 4

The next time Kaiba stopped by it was an exceptionally slow morning. Slow to the point where you’d already had his cup of coffee ready, the floors in the front had been swept, the tables wiped down, the windows cleaned, and everything up and running in the back. You were bored and resorted to doing what you usually did on really slow days. Mindless doodling.

 

It wasn’t productive in the slightest, but you really didn’t have anything else _to_ do. Everyone else was sitting around and being useless, and even if there was something that needed to be done you could get them to do it so you could still sit around. So you had a little notepad out and had been scrawling for the past ten minutes at least.

 

Until Kaiba came in, of course.

 

He sauntered in as he usually did, his ridiculous trench coat flaring behind him as he approached you, a scowl already set firmly on his face. He crossed his arms as he stopped in front of the counter, and you merely looked up from your hunched over position.

 

“Why are you sitting around,” he said tersely, eyeing you with quite a bit more intensity than you were used to.

 

But it hardly fazed you, and you looked back down at your drawing while you found his cup and handed it over. “There’s nothing to do.”

 

He snatched his coffee from your hand but didn’t move, or seem to indicate any intention of paying. “There’s always something to do. Get back to work.”

 

You groaned and stood up, flashing him a glare as you tossed your pen off to the side as dramatically as you could manage. “I will, when there’s work to _get_ done.”

 

As you expected, he was going to have none of your attitude, but rather than having the last word, he simply walked away and leaned against the entryway to the front of the café. “Hey, coffee ain’t free,” you snapped, feeling your blood start to boil. It was too early for this shit.

 

Kaiba turned his head as he raised his phone to his ear. “I’ll pay you when you’ve actually earned it.”

 

As much as you really wanted to tell him off, you knew it’d be pointless. It wasn’t like he could understand that there simply wasn’t anything to do, he didn’t work in that kind of business. At Kaiba Corp. there was never anything that _didn’t_ need to be done, so he was constantly keeping himself busy. But you worked at a tiny café that had too many employees and not enough labor. You could only wipe everything so many times before the sanitizing formula began to eat away at the tables and paint.

 

So you could understand his frustration, or his ignorance, rather. It was to be expected. But rather than making up something to do or simply redoing something you’d already done twice before he got there, you simply sat and stared at him. Maybe if you could hold your deadpan expression it might actually make him feel uncomfortable. It was at least worth a shot. And you didn’t really care if he paid up or not, you could just toss a few bucks in tip money into the safe and no one would ever know the difference. No, this was simply to try and get under his skin.

 

But you also seemed to forget you were trying to win as his own game. When he noticed that you weren’t taking your eyes off him, he simply settled for staring back at you with the same expression as your own. Somehow you knew that he was making you feel far more uncomfortable than you were making him feel. If he was even feeling anything at all.

 

_Fuckin’ robot._ You only lasted a sad 87 seconds before slamming your hands down on the table and loudly declaring that he was in fact an asshole. And since nobody was in the store to hear you, except for your coworkers, you didn’t bother to care that your tongue had slipped.

 

If you were going to give him what he wanted, you were at least going to rub in his face that you didn’t care that you were doing it. Technically you shouldn’t have even been doing it until the end of your shift, but if it got him to lay off you’d frost cupcakes on the prep table next to the counter.

 

Hopefully your hand would slip and somehow icing would find its way onto his pristinely clean trench coat. If you were lucky, it’d be the pink icing.

 

The thought of throwing cupcakes at Seto Kaiba amused you enough to remind you that you actually kind of enjoyed frosting cupcakes, and you set about doing your _job_ diligently. Since it was pretty simple and mindless work you were able to somewhat eavesdrop on his conversation, even though you knew you wouldn’t be able to understand much. It still made you feel rebellious and you pretended not to notice him as approached the counter at the end of his phone call.

 

You didn’t look up, not even as he practically shoved a twenty under your nose. You simply took it politely and continued drawing swirls onto the tiny cakes. Though, as he turned, flashing his white coat, you did grab the cake knife sitting next to you and managed to splatter a little bit of icing onto him without his noticing.

 

_Gee, I wonder how long it’ll take before he notices. I wonder how many pink smears he’ll find before he finally catches on. Idiot._

 

It was a small victory, and one that you hoped you wouldn’t pay for.

 

Except, you did end up paying for it. _Literally_.

 

That evening he burst through the doors, his coat draped over one arm as he strode over to you heavily. He looked pissed. And not the normal every day kind either. You vaguely wondered if he’s where the ‘if looks could kill’ phrase came from. You hoped not.

 

With malice in his eyes he slammed his coat on the counter and stared at you venomously, his jaw clenched and his knuckles white. You looked up at him nervously, and it was the first time he actually, legitimately, made you _very_ uncomfortable. But you couldn’t just submit to him, that’d give him what he wanted, so you pretended like you had not the vaguest idea as to what he was growling for.

 

“Aww, did you have a bad day at work?” you taunted, fighting desperately to not grin and snigger at his expense. That’d give you away.

 

You could tell he was trying and failing to think of something to say that would adequately express how angry he was at you. Eventually he just settled for something mildly insulting in the form of a semi-empty threat, which was no real surprise.

 

“You’re acting like a child, and children don’t hold jobs. If you test me again, I assure you, your life will get a whole lot worse.” He slid his coat over to you and settled to glare until you pulled it away from him and slightly shrunk under his stare. “Take it to the dry-cleaners, I expect to have it back by the end of the week.”

 

He stormed out almost as dramatically as when he stormed in, though without the coat you did get a lovely view of the way his belt hung on his hips and accentuated his stride.

 

He was a complete dick, you accepted that. But, to yourself, you’d accept that he also had a nice butt. And as long as no one could see, you didn’t see anything wrong with staring.


	5. Chapter 5

Taking his trench coat to the cleaners ended up being an unnecessary hassle, mainly because girls recognized the coat by itself just as well as if Kaiba had been wearing it. So when you walked down the street with it flung over one shoulder, the comments you received were enough to make you have to fight _not_ to run. Though, even when you ducked into the cleaners the woman behind the counter wouldn’t just leave well-enough alone.

 

“Oh, you’re new,” she stated bluntly, eyeing you up and down and making a slight face as if she disapproved.

 

You raised a brow and set his coat on the table. “I’m sorry?”

 

She grabbed it by the shoulders and held it up, twisting it around and scrunching her nose when she found the pink smears. “Usually he has another employee bring in his dry-cleaning.”

 

Her tone wasn’t really to your liking, but you decided against giving her shit for it, and just folded your arms and stared off to the side. “I don’t work for that asshole.”

 

For the rest of the few minutes that you were in there she was silent except to give you the bill. You cringed internally, cursing Kaiba ruthlessly to yourself. Of course it was going to be expensive, because he insisted on having his coats made out of bizarre material, and of course he knew that you’d pay for it with the tip money he gave you. _Damn, stuck-up, jackass. We’ll see what you’ll fuckin’ do. We’ll see._

 

* * *

 

When he came back in later that week, with Mokuba tagging along, you handed the crisply folded coat over with a pleasant smile, even going so far to offer a greeting. “Good morning, Mr. Kaiba~” you sang cheerily, noting the way Mokuba nearly choked on his own spit.

 

Kaiba snatched his coat from your outstretched hands and gave it to Mokuba, instructing him to take it out to the car. His scowl remained on you as his brother walked away, and he waited until the other was out the door before reminding you of his hold on your position. “If something like this happens again, I _will_ get you fired.”

 

You hunched your shoulders and crossed your arms over your chest. “You can’t fire me, Kaiba.”

 

He leaned in close, his eyes narrowing as your noses almost brushed. “You _know_ I can,” he hissed, standing up to stalk off after his brother.

 

He didn’t get coffee that day.

 

* * *

 

You dreaded the coming of next week, for more than a few reasons. Mainly because the café held an oddly popular event once every spring and you were somehow put in charge of coordinating it every _single_ year. Of course that gave you some creative liberty with the theme your boss would vaguely outline for you.

 

This year was 50s Swing, which was something you could play around with a lot, even though it was very much an American thing. You put the posters up in the windows first thing Monday morning and carried around your notebook to jot down any decorating ideas. Also, it helped you look busy when unwanted customers came in.

 

And even though Seto Kaiba was generally unwanted, he wasn’t the only one. Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood were _exceptionally_ unwanted, and most of that was due to the sly comments they shot you on a regular basis when they came in. It was borderline sexual harassment, and at this point you were just waiting for them to give you a reason to throw them out the door for good.

 

But until they actually crossed the line, you were obligated to serve them as long as they were in the café. However, that didn’t mean you had to be particularly nice.

 

Once you had gotten Kaiba set up with his coffee and had engaged in small talk with Mokuba about the little shindig, you felt free to ignore the two creeps when they came in.

 

They were loud, obnoxious, beyond annoying, and had grown to believe that they were ladies men. Sometimes you thought maybe if you put the two of them together, the combined ego might even rival Kaiba’s. Now _there_ was an amusing thought.

 

“Oh wow, is that this Friday?” Rex commented, setting his chin on your shoulder to peek at your notebook.

 

You resisted the urge to shove your shoulder into his neck or clack his teeth together, but shrugged away from him very pointedly. “Gee, and I thought you could read.”

 

Weevil snickered and you kept your gaze on Mokuba, mostly just using him as something to focus on so you didn’t lose your professionalism. Rex probably slapped Weevil and told him to fuck off under his breath, which was exactly what you wanted to do to the both of them.

 

“You know,” he piped up again, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “I’d _really_ like if you were my date for Friday night~”

 

“Not even in your dreams. Now quit touching me,” you spat, elbowing him in the ribs just enough for him to get the idea. “And if you’re just gonna hang around here to torment me just get it out of your system and leave. I’m busy.”

 

As you stalked off to find something else to do, preferably in the back, they called after you with disgusting pet names and ‘charming’ demeanors. It was all a sarcastic façade, you knew that, and the way they threw around obscene names like ‘sugartits’ really put you off. It was also pathetic.

 

“Hey,” Mokuba interjected, and you knew he was projecting his voice loud enough so that you could hear him. “Why don’t you two lay off already.”

 

 _Oh God,_ you thought to yourself, they hadn’t really noticed the brothers when they came in. But then it occurred to you that, maybe if they were annoying enough, Kaiba would throw them out for you. _Just about the only thing that prick is good for._

 

However, you didn’t bother to stick around to find out, and decided to make a quick batch of cookies just to ease your mind. They only took about twenty minutes, and when you set them out front you noticed that all four boys were gone, though there hadn’t been any kind of commotion. _Well, at least he’s discrete._

 

Which, wasn’t something you’d be able to say on Friday.


	6. Chapter 6

It was early yet, but you’d managed to finish the last few touches of decorations before the morning rush began. Kaiba must’ve been running late, because he came in during the crowd and had a look that could mow down the line of people in front of him. Thankfully he didn’t literally do that, but he did bypass everyone to grab the coffee he knew you already had waiting. He’d come to expect it, so you just saved yourself the trouble and had it made before he got there.

 

Nobody really protested as he cut in line, he already had a twenty out and the trade only took a second or two. But he paused briefly, and you looked up to see what else he could possibly want.

 

“I’ll be stopping by earlier than usual this evening.” And then he left.

 

You just figured it meant ‘have more coffee ready for me’, and then as an afterthought ‘or you’re fired’. And that was one of the truly annoying things that you hated him for, his egotism actually made him think he could fire you as if you were one of his employees.

 

Legally he couldn’t technically be the one to fire you, but somehow you knew that when he declared it, he’d make sure that you got fired, just to make his word law. In that way he _was_ intimidating, and the empty stares didn’t help either. You remember thinking once that if you hadn’t been so distracted by how much of an asshole he was, you might actually be able to get lost in those eyes.

 

And then you mentally kicked yourself. _No, he’s a self-righteous dick. End of story._

 

The party wasn’t set to start until four, after the lunch rush, so of course the hours creeped by painfully slow. You mostly just wanted to get the whole thing over with if you were going to be honest with yourself, because dealing with Rex and Weevil was not an appealing way to spend your Friday evening. Though, after that thought, the hours couldn’t have gone by slow enough.

 

As the people filed out of the little café to go get ready for the evening soiree, you ducked into the back and threw on your dress. It was a simple, fitted little thing, a solid red with a white petticoat and matching cherry heels. The other girls wore blouses and skirts mostly, but it got you in the mood to be polite and hospitable, you felt particularly cute when you swished the skirt of your dress, and it was one of those little things in life you appreciated.

 

You didn’t get the opportunity to look cute at work very often, and even though you weren’t really super girly, you couldn’t help but smile and spin in circles just so your dress did _the thing_. It made you happy.

 

Until Rex and Weevil ruined it for you. Your pleasant attitude all but vanished when they chimed the doorbell and walked in, but you continued to smile despite them. Just to give yourself an edge in your mind, you imagined you were wearing the blood of your enemies, even on your lips, and that made you feel fierce and unstoppable. You could deal with these losers _and_ still look bomb as hell. You had successfully regained your positive disposition.

 

And you were going to keep it no matter how they treated you. You were sure of it.

 

“Good evening boys,” you greeted, the mantra ‘kill them with kindness’ echoing in your head.

 

Rex smirked in a pleased fashion, crossing his arms over his chest. “Well well well, don’t you look good enough to _eat_.”

 

Yep. That was a sex joke. “Oh I’d smother you if you tried~” But the mental image of choking him with your petticoat made his snide comment worth it. So you remained unfazed and chipper. He was not going to ruin your mood, no sir.

 

Thankfully they just grabbed a few iced coffees and sat elsewhere in the café, taking up residence next to the piano the guest musician had brought in. At least they wouldn’t be a bother for the next little while, or so you hoped.

 

People began to fill up the little café around five o’clock, and you got plenty of compliments on your outfit and the decorations which gave you a huge confidence boost for the night. You carried around drinks and cupcakes on a tray and made the best of every opportunity to swish your dress and flash a smile.

 

Of course, you weren’t going to pretend that the male attention wasn’t a huge factor playing into why you were going out of your way to be adorable. Even though you chose not to really date, the fact that you were deemed attractive enough to look at still felt good, and stroked your ego a _little_. Just a little.

 

At some point the pianist drowned out the radio, so you turned that off and opted to just listen to his voice. It was soothing and easy to work to, and you drifted into a peaceful state of being efficient and punctual with your work ethic.

 

And damn Kaiba for ruining that for you.

 

“This place looks tacky.”

 

You nearly jumped at the sound of his voice, but remained collected and played his comment over again in your head. _Well fuck you too._ “Should I mention something about pots and kettles?”

 

He pressed his lips together and scowled. “You’d do best not to.”

 

Mokuba glanced at him sideways and nudged him with his elbow. “Don’t be so mean, Seto, and you look really pretty,” he offered, making up for his brother’s obvious disapproval. “Right big brother?”

 

_Oh give it a rest, you don’t think he’s really gonna-_

 

“You look lovely.”

 

_Oh my God._

 

You almost cringed away from him just out of pure reflex, it was a very un-Kaiba thing of him to say. Then again, the smirk on his face told you that he’d only done it purely to fuck with you. _Oh no, of course, what was I thinking. Kaiba doesn’t compliment people to be nice, he does it to watch them squirm._

 

“Is my coffee ready, I’ve got work to do.”

 

You huffed to yourself and stepped behind the counter, retrieving it from where you had been keeping it warm. When you handed it over and held your palm out for payment he shook his head and turned.

 

“Keep a tab for me.”

 

 _Just how much coffee does he plan on drinking?_ Except it wasn’t just coffee, Mokuba had you bring over cupcakes on three separate occasions, Kaiba had had two cups within half an hour, and you lost track of how many drinks got turned over to various women courtesy of the little Casanova. But you were hardly concerned, and simply did as either of them had asked, regardless of the request.

 

When Kaiba stopped by for his third cup, he instructed you to take the rest of the night off. When you stated that you were in charge of the whole thing and politely declined, he posed the offer again.

 

“If you’re going to be an event coordinator than mingling is going to give you the best critique. Besides, Mokuba wants to dance with you.” The turning and leaving told you that he wasn’t going to offer again.

 

That was fine, Mokuba was simply too adorable to turn down, even for being seventeen. So you informed the other ladies, which nearly turned into an ordeal, and then clocked out to join in on the festivities.

 

You weren’t much of party thrower, or party goer for that matter. But you had to hand it to yourself that you’d done a pretty good job, even if Kaiba thought it was tacky. However, in your defense, the American 50s style was already a little tacky, so boo on him. He couldn’t tell you that you didn’t try.

 

Mokuba was eager to put aside his lady friends for a moment to pull you off to the side to dance, making sure that his brother could see if he decided to gesture comments as he often did in lieu of verbal communication.

 

The swing style of dance wasn’t really that complicated and basically looked just as good with made up steps, so the two of you had a pretty easy time figuring out the timing and just winging it. Sometimes you wondered how the two boys could possibly be related, especially since Mokuba would go out of his way to a put a smile on someone’s face while Kaiba couldn’t be bothered with barely acknowledging them.

 

But you didn’t care, you were too engrossed with Mokuba to be bothered by such trivial things, and you were exceedingly grateful for his willingness to make sure you had fun at your own party.

 

Though, you couldn’t help but wonder why Kaiba even showed up in the first place, it wasn’t like he was participating – not that you ever expected him to. It just seemed so out of the way for him, and even the idea that he was there simply for Mokuba didn’t really make sense either, what with the younger brother’s ability to basically take care of himself at outings without needing a chaperone.

 

And again, you let the thought slide, it didn’t matter, nor did it interfere with your ability to enjoy yourself. You only stopped after getting a stitch in your side, and opted to sit down with a cup of tea and make small talk.

 

Kaiba didn’t offer much in the way of conversation, except to mostly complain about trivial things you and Mokuba talked about. It wasn’t like you expected much else, so he was mostly ignored either way, and your tea was finished far too soon. Deciding against refilling it, you simply took it to the back and figured you walk around to see how everyone else was fairing.

 

Seto Kaiba might be an ass, but he wasn’t stupid. Mingling really was going to give the kind of critique that would be constructive, and maybe it’d help you avoid the sneers you were getting from Rex and Weevil.

 

Although, thinking about it must’ve jinxed you, and they were both by your side within a few seconds of you catching their eyes.

 

“Looks like you’re finally free for a dance. Care to join me?” Rex grinned toothily, and it wasn’t nearly as cute as when Mokuba did it. This just made you shrink in disgust.

 

“Thanks but no thanks,” you waved them off and attempted to turn and leave, but apparently they weren’t going to allow it without giving you a hard time.

 

Weevil stepped in front of you and smirked. “Don’t be like that,” he cooed mockingly, laying his hands on your waist where the skirt of your dress flared.

 

Then you felt Rex’s breath next to your ear and you were immediately far more uncomfortable than you thought Kaiba could ever make you feel. In a panic to get them away from you, you put your hands on Weevil’s shoulders and pushed him off, telling him to make himself scarce before you actually choked him under your dress.

 

Rex snickered behind you, “Speaking of, why don’t we see what’s underneath, huh?”

 

It happened long before you registered the comment, before you had time to react, before you could even turn your head to glare at him. And he’d done in front of _everybody_. Rex Raptor had flipped your skirt and showed the entire café what was under your petticoat, and your resolve splintered instantly.

 

You weren’t sure if it was reflex or something you had done out of sheer hatred, but after your shriek of surprise you had him pinned against the wall, one forearm against his neck and the other pulled back ready to punch.

 

“You fucking _creep_! How _dare_ you!” You pulled your fist back and was ready to land it in his stomach, but his reaction time was far better than you had expected it to be, and within a second your positions were switched and he had both of your hands forced above your head.

 

It was pretty common street knowledge the people were weary of the two, but Rex in particular. He wasn’t a push-over – and neither were you – so people had generally come to just accept his crude behavior and not start anything over it, even if they knew it was wrong. It could’ve been due to the rumors floating around that he had contacts within the Yakuza, and rumors or not, it was enough to keep people off his back. And allowed him to treat women like he had treated you.

 

However, not everyone was intimidated by him or the questionable rumors.

 

Before his face had gotten too close to yours, you noticed his eyes grow wide as a hand gripped the back of his neck, its fingers digging painfully into his skin.

 

“If I were you, I’d let her go.”

 

Kaiba was not impressed by Rex, and thought it appropriate to stand in. So he did, and nobody questioned him either, in fact, most people just pretended that the whole charade wasn’t happening.

 

The moment Rex was removed from you, you darted around Kaiba and made for the back room, cursing the tears that stung in your eyes. You’d lost your professionalism, you’d snapped on the job. Well, you had technically clocked out, but you knew that the minute your boss got wind of what had happened, she’d probably favor Rex and his fake Yakuza rumors over you, regardless of how much the financial stability of the café actually depended on you.

 

You were just so upset over the whole thing. It was like every snide, inappropriate comment either of them ever threw at you came up all at once, and they’d _both_ laid their hands on you. You shuddered at the thought, and goosebumps began to prickle along your arms. It was awful and disgraceful and humiliating. And if Kaiba hadn’t stepped in, it might’ve gotten worse.

 

“Hey, are you alright?” Mokuba’s voice drifted in through the door, and you hunched your shoulders in response. You didn’t hear him shuffle into the room, but waited to see if he had anything else to say. “Seto kicked those guys out, I don’t think they’re allowed here anymore.”

 

Well at least that was a somewhat comforting thought.

 

“Also, he wants to talk to you.”

 

Never mind.

 

You sighed and rubbed at your eyes, which at this point you were sure were red, along with the rest of your face. But it didn’t really matter, you didn’t actually care what you looked like at the moment, you still felt really gross and defiled. But that didn’t stop you from shuffling back out into the café and in front of the counter where the older Kaiba brother stood. “What do you want.”

 

He paused for only a short few seconds before stating very casually, “You’re fired.”


	7. Chapter 7

Your eyes snapped upwards and narrowed with rage. “ _What_!?”

 

He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. “I said you’re fired.”

 

 _This is unbelievable! What the fuck is his problem!_ “Why the _hell_ are you firing me!” you cried, not caring if you were causing a scene or if people were staring. People always stared at Kaiba, there wasn’t really a difference.

 

Mokuba looked like he was about to interject, but Kaiba simply held his hand up and continued. “You perform the duties of your job efficiently and effectively. You’re professional without being a push-over. I don’t want to see you working here anymore.”

 

Being stunned and speechless didn’t quite cover the sheer amount of ‘what the actual fuck is he on about’ that you were feeling. You were quite sure words didn’t exist yet to describe what you were feeling. “I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand.” Mostly you were far too tired to deal with his prudish nature, and just wanted him to get to the point and start making sense.

 

“I’ll inform your boss, you’ll be taken off the schedule before tomorrow morning and I’ll have your paycheck in before the end of the week,” he stated flatly, bored with your expression of disbelief.

 

And then everything else came crashing down along with your teetering pride. “Kaiba, you can’t fire me! I… I can’t leave here! If I don’t have a job I’ll get kicked out of my apartment, regardless of whether or not I can still afford my rent! You can’t do this!” Maybe your face was just burning because you were so incredibly pissed off and still confused, or maybe you had started crying. You couldn’t really be sure.

 

“I want you in my office by 8am. Do _not_ be late.”

 

* * *

 

There really wasn’t any way for you to tell what his reasons for calling you into his office were, and for most of the night you told yourself that they didn’t matter and that you were absolutely not going. There was no way in hell you were going to set one foot in Kaiba Corp. Not even over your dead body.

 

But then you remembered the simple fact that he had interjected. He had stepped in and put a stop to the sexual harassment you were being subject to, and that wasn’t really something you should’ve been taking lightly. Whether or not he did it for his own motives – because it sure as hell wasn’t an act of kindness – it didn’t take away from the fact that he put Rex and Weevil in their places.

 

For a brief moment the term ‘knight in shining armor’ came to mind and you violently stomped that image out as brutally as possible. He might have saved you from further embarrassment, but he was no prince charming. He was still a jackass.

 

However, you still found yourself angrily marching through the front doors of Kaiba Corp. and making your way to the woman sitting behind the front desk. She noted your air of irritation and raised her brow as if challenging your right to be pissed off so early in the morning.

 

“Can I help you?”

 

You grit your teeth and tucked your hands at your sides. “I’m here to see Kaiba. He told me to be in his office at 8.”

 

She pursed her lips and made a quick phone call, seemingly annoyed with the idea of letting you upstairs. But she handed you a temporary card key as ID and instructed you on how to get to the top floor, pointing to the elevators across the room.

 

You took the card and meandered over to the elevator doors, flashing the key to the pair of guards standing on either side of you. The brief wait for the elevator was awkward, you could feel them boring holes into you with their eyes. You didn’t belong here and they knew it.

 

In fact, a lot of people shuffling about were looking at you funny, but you chalked that up to the simple fact that you weren’t dressed in a suit and had barely run a brush through your hair. But your purposefully scruffy look had been a sort of middle finger to Kaiba, you weren’t on a business call so you weren’t required to dress as such. Not that you could have anyways, the nicest thing you owned in the way of clothing would have still looked second rate to everyone you saw walk by you.

 

Thankfully the doors opened before you had to spend another moment of high-class judgement, and you punched the button at the top labeled with a star. _Dear God, what a child._ The ride was surprisingly short for nearly fifty floors worth of building, and it dinged as it reached the end of the track and opened the doors.

 

The room was small, one wall comprised of a massive window, opposite of the secretary, who sat behind a desk and flicked her eyes over to you only once before returning to her business. You loitered by the elevator before quietly stepping over to her and pulling out the key card.

 

Her eyes flicked upwards again, then settled on the card between your fingers. “Your name?”

 

You stated only your last name, figuring she wouldn’t need your first, and waited as she looked for you on the schedule. You watched her scribble something onto a sheet of paper before leaning over to press a button you couldn’t quite see.

 

“Mr. Kaiba, your 8am is here.”

 

“ _Send her in_.”

 

Well there was no going back now, so you sucked up your nerves and made your way over to the large double doors, pulling the handle before pushing inside.

 

The room was far too big to serve as anyone else’s office, practically at least. There were couches, a table stocked with liquor and fine wine, another elevator in the back, a few closed doors off to the sides, and an open view of the city behind Kaiba, who was sitting at his desk and had hardly seemed to acknowledge your presence.

 

As the door shut behind you, you marched stoically over to where he was sitting and made a point not to sit down.

 

He looked up at you briefly before shifting his eyes back to his work. “Sit,” he instructed.

 

You ignored him and simply got to the point. “What’s this about, Kaiba? Why am I here at an ungodly hour on a Saturday morning _in your office_?”

 

He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, but you saw him straining to keep his tone even. “Sit down and we’ll talk.”

 

 _Ugh, fine._ You sat with a huff and crossed your legs in his chair, just to spite him. It was petty, but that didn’t stop it from feeling like a small victory. However, after a moment of continuously appreciating said victory, you began to grow tired of his stalling. “Well?”

 

Without answering, he a pulled a pen out and set it on a stack of papers, then slid them over to you. “Sign these.”

 

You looked down, noting the lengthy paragraphs in eight point font. It was a contract. “I’m not sighing it until you tell me what it is.”

 

This time he paused what he was doing, interlacing his fingers together while he peered at you. “As of right now, you’re out of a job-“

 

“Yeah, thanks by the way.”

 

“And it’s come to my attention that your work ethic would be of more use here.”

 

“Come again?”

 

He eyed you intently, then nodded to the stack of papers in front of you. “That’s a job contract, I’m hiring you.”

 

Red flags sprung up everywhere, and you fought to push the contract away. “Oh no, there is no way in hell I am working for you.”

 

His response indicated that he expected your refusal. “If you read the fourth paragraph down on page six, I think you might reconsider your hasty decision.”

 

 _Pft, I highly doubt that very much_. But if nothing more than to just humor him, you thumbed through the pages until you found the one labeled ‘6’ and skimmed down to the fourth paragraph. _Oh._ “Good God, what am I going to be doing, whoring myself out? That’s triple what I make in a whole day!”

 

He didn’t seem amused by your comment, but didn’t mention it either. “For now you’ll be doing odd jobs, mostly delivering documents for me. But I’m putting you in charge of making coffee, and I expect there to be a pot ready when I ask for it.”

 

And then it clicked. “So basically you’re just too lazy to stop by the café now and get it?”

 

He narrowed his eyes and threw out your first name, just to get your attention. You absolutely didn’t plan on ever getting used to that. “I run a successful business in a competitive industry, I do not hire people on whims. I don’t believe that hiring you will be a waste of my time, but I expect you to prove that to me. The outline of your expectations shouldn’t be your biggest concern.”

 

You shrunk inwardly a little at the intensity of his statement, but did note the offhand compliment. As much as working for Kaiba made you want to throw yourself out of the window behind him, the pay _was_ enough to make you reconsider. Actually, it was a stupidly high hourly wage for what he made your position sound like, but that was fine by you. “Alright, Kaiba, I’ll bite.” So you signed the contract and initialed where prompted, then slid it back over to him with the pen neatly placed on top.

 

He double-checked your signatures to make sure everything was in place before calling his secretary in to hand over the contract. She came in and left quietly, giving you a sideways glance of slight disapproval as she turned to leave. You had a feeling the two of you weren’t going to get along very well.

 

When she was through the door you turned back to your new _boss_ and looked at him expectantly. “So should I go get started on your coffee, _Mr._ Kaiba?”

 

If he was amused or pleased with himself he didn’t show it. “Not quite, you’ll need to change into something else. I don’t want people think I just pulled someone off the street.”

 

“Even though you kinda did?”

 

He wasn’t impressed with you. “Just go home and change.”

 

You groaned crossed your arms, and he continued to stare at you. “I used to work at a coffee shop, I don’t exactly own business attire. At least not anything that would meet _your_ standards.”

 

Kaiba seemed frustrated with your lack being prepared, but didn’t allow it to be voiced as he spoke. “Then I’ll have Mokuba take you to get that fixed.” He pulled out his cell and made a quick call to his brother, sliding it back into his pocket when he’d finished. “Go make a pot of coffee while you wait. My secretary will show you where it’s at.”

 

As he turned his attention back to his computer you took it as his way of dismissing you, so you stood and marched out of his office, collecting yourself as you went. You closed the door quietly behind you and then eyed the woman behind the counter, waiting for her to ask you what you needed.

 

She remained silent, probably expecting you to just voice what it was instead. “Where’s the coffee pot?”

 

For a moment you thought she’d just ignored you, but eventually she put away whatever she had been working on and led you through the door behind her. Actually, she just opened the door and pointed inside, but you really didn’t need her to show you around, the room wasn’t that big or lavish.

 

You strode over to the coffee pot and picked it apart, making mental notes of all the excess buttons and settings that a coffee pot really ought to never have. Then you found a coffee mug underneath the cabinet, filled the top with water, and shoveled a few heaping cups of coffee grounds into the filter. Once you turned it on you heaved yourself onto the counter and pulled out your phone, trying to find something to waste your time with while you waited.

 

The coffee pot alarmed you with its being done with an awful screeching, gurgling howl that nearly threw you off the counter. You quickly turned it off and pulled the pot out, filling the mug in your other hand about an inch from the brim. You could smell it even as you pulled your face away, it smelled horrific and you figured that you’d made it plenty strong enough.

 

As you exited the small back room the secretary waved to get your attention.

 

“Mr. Kaiba would like you back in his office.”

 

 _Oh goody, Mokuba must be here~_ You slipped back through the door and walked the mug carefully to Kaiba’s desk, placing it delicately by his right hand. He picked it up and brought it to his lips, and you waited eagerly to see if you’d made it to his liking.

 

He paused, looked down into the murky depths, then set it aside. “It could be darker.”

 

 _Darker? I barely had enough water in that thing to_ make _it into coffee!_ But there was no use in arguing, maybe next time you’d have a mug of coffee grounds just as a joke.

 

The elevator door at the back of the office chimed softly and Mokuba sauntered in, grinning gaily as he eyed you. “Well good morning m’lady!”

 

This kid was seriously going to be the death of you. You smiled back and twisted slightly back and forth, swishing your arms as your went. “Good morning, Mokuba~”

 

Kaiba glowered at you and scrunched his face at his brother. “You can continue your pleasantries _outside_ my office. Just have her back here after lunch.”

 

You looked curiously to Mokuba as he affirmed with his brother. “Where are we going?”

 

He smiled wider and took your hand, leading out of his brother’s office and into the elevator. “Shopping~”


	8. Chapter 8

Honestly, spending the day shopping with Mokuba for women’s pantsuits wasn’t exactly what you’d imagined yourself doing. But it did get you out of Kaiba Corp. and away from your _boss_ and that bitchy secretary. Plus, Mokuba was a complete joy to be around, so there wasn’t a whole lot to complain about.

 

Except for the fact that he was very particular about what he wanted you to wear and excessively indecisive.

 

There were about four suits he kept on the rack, debating on which ones he liked best, constantly having the fitter hold them up each at a time so he could look over them again.

 

Personally you didn’t really care either way, as long as you had something to throw on for work that met Kaiba’s expectations. Otherwise you didn’t have an opinion, but Mokuba obviously did, and rather than spoil his fun – as this was not something he got to enjoy very often, if at all – you simply let him have his way and stood obediently in front of the mirror.

 

Eventually, though, he did make up his mind. “You know, I really can’t decide, you look nice in all of them,” he said, turning to the woman who was still standing beside you. “You might as well ring them all up, she’ll need a couple anyways.”

 

She smiled and hurried off with a cheery ‘Yes, sir!’, taking all four suits with her. Mokuba followed behind her and gave you a moment to head back into the dressing room so that he could send one back for you to change into. When he tossed his favorite over the door you wrestled yourself into it, internally cursing the ungodly amount of buttons you had to fight with.

 

As you finished with your jacket and stepped out, Mokuba set down a pair of heels, motioning for you to put them on. As far as heels go they were fairly comfortable, and he insisted that you wear them out. You simply did as he asked, knowing it’d get you out of there quicker.

 

“How do you feel?” he asked, leading you out of the boutique and down the sidewalk.

 

You pursed your lips and looked down at your feet. “I dunno, like a rich kid wannabe maybe.”

 

He scoffed.  “Don’t be like that! I think you look nice. Besides, now you’ve got one less thing to worry about.”

 

Well he was certainly right about that, but you still felt like you didn’t really… _deserve_ it. You had a hard time even explaining it to yourself, but the feeling was still there. “Hm, I think I’m hungry too.”

 

Mokuba flashed a smile and took your arm. “I thought you’d never bring it up, I’m starvin’!”

 

So he treated you to lunch as well, and you made it up in your mind that somehow you’d make it up to him. He really didn’t have to do any of this, but he chose to and made sure to voice how much he appreciated having you around.

 

“It’s nice being able to talk to you outside of work,” he said, tapping his chopsticks on the edge of his plate.

 

You grinned and mimicked his movements, poking around your sushi. “If I didn’t know any better I’d say you’d made this into a date~” You were teasing, you never really could see Mokuba that way, he was like your own little brother at this point.

 

He laughed, batting his eyelashes playfully. “Oh yeah? What if I have?”

 

The snort that came out of your nose was quite unceremonious, and you covered your mouth with your free hand. “Please, I’m pretty sure the waitress thinks I’m your mom.”

 

Mokuba rolled his eyes and popped his sushi in his mouth, resting his head in his hand as he thought and chewed. “You know,” he said finally, “I think you’d be a cool mom.”

 

It wasn’t really something you’d expected him to say, and it totally caught you off-guard. Yeah, you knew the Kaiba brothers’ backstory, the whole orphanage deal, and how shitty they’d been treated by their adoptive family. Sometimes you felt bad, for both of them, because they never had that motherly kind of affection, didn’t know what it felt like. Hell, if you thought about it, that could’ve been a damn good reason as to why Kaiba was such a jackass all the time. _That kid needs to get laid._

The two of you finished up with lunch just as Mokuba’s phone went off, and he ushered you into the backseat of the car as he answered. “Hey, Seto,” he greeted eagerly, “yeah we just got done with lunch… Yep, just like you said… Um, twenty minutes? ... Okay, see you soon!”

 

You sighed internally, slightly shaking your head in bewilderment. It would never cease to amaze you at how close the two of them were, how generally positive Mokuba always was, and how none of that _never_ rubbed off on his older brother. I mean jeez, the little snot’s smile was more contagious than a yawn, but Kaiba always seemed to be the same old grouch despite his brother’s happy-go-lucky attitude.

 

However, you just allowed yourself to assume it’d always be a mystery to you, and decided to just enjoy Mokuba’s company for what it was. It certainly beat getting bitched at by Kaiba all day long.

 

Not that you’d actually gotten bitched at by him. Not yet. But you had quite the imagination, and you figured that it was only a matter of time before you suffered the same fate as every other employee. Of course, Kaiba’s wrath _was_ an occupational hazard, so the sooner you could come to terms with it maybe the less painful it’d be.

 

Maybe.


	9. Chapter 9

You managed to make it until Thursday before you got to test out that ‘maybe’. Frankly, it hadn’t been your fault, there was literally _nothing_ you could’ve done about it, and logically he had to reason to be angry at you.

 

But he was, and you vaguely wondered if the people on the first floor could hear him. The secretary was probably smiling to herself. Bitch.

 

So the transition into Kaiba Corp. hadn’t been the smoothest, especially since you were basically a kind of assistant. And the fact that your position was held so close to Kaiba and you hadn’t previously worked there before, didn’t help. You were practically a stranger to the majority of security, and even with a key card – that had your name and title and a fucking _picture_ on it – they still insisted on giving you a hard way to go. ‘I highly doubt you’d be hired on a whim to be a top floor assistant. Now beat it before I have you kicked out for having a false ID’ was something you’d grown used to hearing. In fact, you expected it.

 

But dammit you had a job to do and places to be in order to _do_ that job! Kaiba, you found out fairly quickly, was almost too punctual, and if something didn’t get to where it needed to be on time, there’d be varying degrees of hell to pay depending on how important it was. Currently, you figured a tenth circle of hell had literally just been created for you because holy shit he might as well have been Satan. You thought he might’ve burst into flames at any second.

 

“It was a simple job! You’d done it at least a hundred times by now!”

 

In his defense, he’d probably already been having a bad day.

 

“There is literally no excuse for you to have been late!”

 

Maybe he lost a really good deal.

 

“You couldn’t possibly understand how important this was!”

 

Maybe there hadn’t been any hot water for his shower.

 

“Why is it that anyone else would’ve been able to do this one _simple_ job and you managed to fuck it up!?”

 

Well you actually had an answer for that one.

 

“Give me _one_ good reason as why I shouldn’t have you _fired_!”

 

You opened your mouth. He just kept screaming.

 

Eventually though, he began to seriously ware on you and the nerves that you no longer possessed. Yeah okay, even though you weren’t really at fault, an ass chewing was inevitable and the sooner he got it out of his system, the better. But enough was enough, you had a logical explanation and the sooner it got resolved the better. You really didn’t want to have to go through this again.

 

“Mr. Kaiba, _sir_.”

 

He whipped his head around and narrowed his eyes dangerously. “ _What!_ ”

 

You took in a deep breath, exhaled evenly, and met his stare politely. “The security guards haven’t been accepting my ID, they think it’s a fake. And every time I try to get them to call you, they wave it off as an excuse and threaten to remove me from the building. I’m trying to do my job, but without security clearance there are some places I simply _can’t_ get to.”

 

It was logical reasoning to assume that the workings of security clearance for everyone but himself was sort of lost to him. Sure, he probably initially set up security regulations for certain floors or rooms, requiring them to have a specific level of clearance, but when you’re the boss, that kind of thing doesn’t mean much after a while. So it’d be acceptable to believe that he simply didn’t bother with remembering who needed what kind of clearance to get where. Not unless it was particularly and exceptionally important. Which your job was not. Not really.

 

Kaiba slammed his hands on the surface of his desk and growled, squeezing his eyes shut. You could tell he was still put off, but at least he seemed to have believed you, that was a plus. However, it didn’t exactly mean you were in the clear.

 

He didn’t dismiss you, so you stayed put, but he did take a seat at his computer and began to type quite furiously. After a short moment he demanded to see your ID, and you were suddenly very nervous. But you handed it over as asked and had it back within a few seconds, meaning that you weren’t fired.

 

Finally he stopped, reread, and then shifted his gaze back to you. “I’ve sent every guard a copy of your ID, if they continue to give you problems I’ll just have them replaced. Now go get me a cup of coffee.”

 

You quietly exited the office and slipped into the backroom, ignoring whatever look the secretary had given you when you walked by. Once the door was closed you made quick work of his coffee, sinking to the floor as you waited.

 

There was a reason Kaiba was called a tyrant, egotistical, and considered the worst boss ever. And now you knew. His stare alone was enough to chill you over, and the way he yelled might as well have petrified you. But you noticed it was different. He’d stared you down before, once or twice when you worked at the café, but it didn’t have nearly the same effect. Maybe because you were actually working for him now he was suddenly more intimidating. Either way it made you vastly uncomfortable, and avoiding him as much as possible for the rest of the day was probably your best course of action.

 

Technically speaking, it wasn’t that hard to do, he didn’t call you in for much after the fiasco that morning. But mentally, you nearly made yourself sick thinking about it and replaying the whole thing over in your head. So every time he _did_ call you in it was as if you were walking into your own grave. That certainly wasn’t a pleasant feeling.

 

As the late evening rolled around you decided to refill the coffee pot, knowing he’d want at least another cup or two before leaving. You sat on the counter and swung your legs as you waited, though the pencil skirt made that a little difficult. And just like clockwork, as soon as the pot was done he was calling you back into his office, so you poured him a cup and dutifully made your way out of the back room and up to his doors. You didn’t have to look behind you to know that what’s-her-face was sneering at you.

 

But you pushed the door open, walked inside, and shut it quietly behind you, despite the internal wanting to either throw up or bury yourself under the carpet. And since neither were viable options you simply strode in and set his coffee on his desk, then turned to leave.

 

“Sit.”

 

_Oh fuck._

 

He was silent even after you had eventually managed to make yourself comfortable, but you didn’t prompt him to speak. For the moment you were in the mindset of ‘speak only when spoken to’.

 

“I’d like to offer an apology for this morning.”

 

_Well bend me over and fuck me sideways it’s the god damn end of the world._

 

“I’m sorry?” you blurted, wondering if you’d heard him correctly.

 

He glowered at you, “I hope you aren’t trying to be funny.”

 

You clapped a hand over your mouth, understanding why he would’ve thought so. “Uh, no, I just thought maybe I had misheard you.”

 

Kaiba turned his gaze back down to his work. “The only reason I’m even saying anything is because you’ve only been here four days. But don’t expect to receive any special treatment, and don’t expect to get another apology out of me. _Ever._ I don’t care what the circumstances are, if there’s reason for it, you will be out of here. Is that understood?”

 

It was hard to not just nod your head furiously, but you did manage to squeak out an affirmation. “Yes, sir, Mr. Kaiba.”

 

“Good. Get out of my office.”

 

You quickly, though collectedly, stood and removed yourself from the overly spacious room, opting to organize the stack of papers he wanted delivered the next morning. He did end up leaving half an hour early, and you assumed it was for something business related, but when he exited his office he offered a ‘goodnight’ only to the secretary and had completely ignored you.

 

That stung a little more than you really wanted to admit to.


	10. Chapter 10

After the first week, things began to fall into place quite smoothly. You got to play around with security for the next few days after the incident, and since they were already on edge for having denied you, it really helped make your day. You’d figured out how the place worked, what you could get away with and what you couldn’t, and how Kaiba operated on a whole. You still didn’t really feel like you fit in, and you figured you never would, but at least you were getting the hang of things, and sometimes you were able to forget that Kaiba was so bad.

 

 

On his good days.

 

Those tended to be the days when Mokuba hung around, so you ended up retracting your earlier assumption that the kid’s positivity didn’t wear off. It just only happened when he was physically present. And that was fine, it just helped you appreciate him more when he decided to drop by. And he always gave you reason to think of him as being far too precious for this world.

 

“Hey!” he chimed, grinning as he exited the elevator.

 

Odd, he could’ve used the other one that went directly to Kaiba’s office. “Hey Mokuba, why didn’t you use your brother’s elevator?”

 

He shrugged it off as being no big deal. “I figured I’d take this one so I could see you first~ Besides, I brought you breakfast.”

 

You immediately perked up and tried to hide the look of confusion that was probably plastered all over your face. “Oh? What’s the occasion?”

 

Mokuba rolled his eyes and set the mini box of donuts on the countertop where the secretary eyed them almost disdainfully. Probably because they were for you and not her.

 

“No occasion, the thought just occurred to me so I figured, why not? Besides, I can only imagine how hellish it must be to work here.”

 

You scoffed at him. “Hellish? Pft, no way.” But the look in your eyes conveyed otherwise, and he simply sniggered at you.

 

With a polite ‘don’t forget to save me one’ he strode off and pushed open the door to his brother’s office. You didn’t figure you’d see him much while he was here, but he was a Godsend either way and you happily dove into the small box. He’d brought you jelly-filled munchkins and you thought that maybe, just for a moment, there was no way in _hell_ those two were related. Nobody bought anybody jelly-filled munchkins unless they were held in high regards.

 

Hmm, maybe you were growing on Mokuba? He was certainly growing on you.

 

Speaking of, he popped his head out and grinned at you wildly. “Seto says he wants you to escort me around today,” he explained, and you could tell he was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

 

Well _that_ was odd. But there wasn’t any more paperwork on your desk, he hadn’t had anything else specific outlined for you to do today, and the secretary hadn’t warned about needing you to do anything either. However, you figured it’d be best to check in yourself, just to be sure. “Okay, let me pop in for just a sec.”

 

You stood, brushed out your pants, wedged your feet back into your heels, and stepped around your side of the desk. Actually going into Kaiba’s office didn’t make you nearly as nervous as it had the first week, you’d learned that if you needed something he’d much rather you just ask. As long as it was work related and _didn’t_ have an obvious answer. “Mr. Kaiba, sir?”

 

He looked up from his laptop, and you immediately noted that he actually wasn’t scowling. There wasn’t really anything pleasant there, but there also wasn’t anything particularly _un_ pleasant either. Wow. Go Mokuba.

 

“Is there anything you’d like me to take care of while I accompany Mokuba? I’ve dealt with the papers you gave me last night.”

 

Kaiba laced his fingers together and looked as though he was thinking, which was a good sign. Again, you noted how his brow didn’t knot the way it usually did when he thought about things. Mokuba really had a calming effect over his older brother. It was borderline fucking _magic_.

 

“No,” he said finally. “Just don’t let him do anything _stupid_. And keep him in the building… And make him contact me if he leaves for lunch.”

 

There was the scowl. At least now you knew he was the real Kaiba and you didn’t have bother wondering whether or not you should start doubting again. Though, you couldn’t get past the brotherly concern laced under the surface of his words, it was still hard to imagine Kaiba actually _caring_ , even though you knew he did for Mokuba.

 

“Yes, sir!” you replied obediently, waited for Mokuba to grab a few things, and then accompanied him out. “So, where to first?”

 

He used the opportunity to show you around, though still let you act as the escort just so that people wouldn’t get suspicious. A large part of an hour was spent in the gaming department, and you excitedly asked questions about Kaiba’s timeframe for virtual reality betas and tests. Mokuba just about had to drag you out of the room and off the floor, but promised that other sections of Kaiba Corp. were just as cool. You weren’t ready to agree, and made sure to let him know as you continued exploring the building.

Eventually lunch time crept upon you and your stomach made you very aware of its needy habits. You pressed your hand against your belly and mentally told it to shut up.

 

“If you’re hungry I thought we’d go this nice little French café, it’s got outside seating in the garden and it smells like lavender.” Mokuba smiled hopefully as he pulled you into an elevator.

 

Well that sounded quite lovely, and you weren’t about to turn down food, so you simply nodded with renewed vigor and happily followed him out of the building. “Oh, don’t forget to tell your brother,” you reminded him.

 

The two of you paused and he held his cell up to his ear, rocking on his feet as he waited. “Hey, Seto… yeah, I thought I’d take her to that cute French place down the street… Sure, see you soon!”

 

 _Oh joy, Beelzebub will be joining us for lunch._ You tilted your head curiously, trying to hide your displeasure. “Will your brother be meeting up with us?”

 

Mokuba nodded and gently took your hand to lead you across the street. “Yeah, he’s probably using it as an excuse to make sure you’ve kept me out of trouble like you said you would. But don’t worry about it,” he smiled reassuringly, and you opted to keep his hand as the two of you walked down the sidewalk.

 

The little bistro, or café, or whatever, wasn’t really all that far off, but you’d be willing to bet money that Kaiba sure as hell wouldn’t walk it. So you prepared to see him sooner than you’d have liked, deciding to just keep your professional air even though Mokuba was around.

 

The two of you were seated immediately, outside in the back garden where only one other table was occupied. You could tell by the way they held themselves and the clothes they wore that they were indeed wealthy. Not nearly to Kaiba’s level, but the prudish glances they kept sending you were enough to tell you that they clearly thought you didn’t belong.

 

And they were right, you most certainly didn’t. You only got in because of Mokuba, you only got your job at Kaiba Corp. because you made shitty coffee that only Kaiba would drink, and you were certain that Mokuba had had some hand in that as well.

 

But it didn’t matter, their looks of disgust were quickly met with Kaiba’s glare of disapproval as he walked in only a minute later, and the couple immediately went about ignoring you in fear of Kaiba’s wrath.

 

He sat down in the third chair and eyed the waitress, keeping a stern look as she hurried over and took drinks. You couldn’t read half of what was on the menu, so you kept it simple and stuck with water, internally rolling your eyes as Kaiba had her bring out wine.

 

_Jesus, it’s only lunch._

 

As Kaiba kept to himself Mokuba took mercy on you and helped you with reading and deciphering your minimal options. Most of the things you turned your nose up at, they sounded awful and you just wanted something simple and easy to eat. As the waitress approached again you made a final quick decision and opted for soup, that’d be easy. Probably.

 

Once she left, Mokuba looked up at his brother and pulled his glass away from his lips. “So how come you decided to come by for lunch?”

 

Kaiba’s stare flicked to you, lingering for half a second before he looked back to his brother to answer. “I’ll be testing her.”


	11. Chapter 11

You nearly choked on your water, which certainly couldn’t have looked very attractive. _What the hell?_ Your eyes flicked up to Kaiba’s before immediately looking back down at the table, his stare really could be overly intense sometimes. “So um,” you set your glass down and let your eyes roam around his face, but avoided his eyes. “Why exactly are you testing me? Or… what are you testing me on?”

 

Mokuba sighed and leaned back in his chair, his expression of annoyance directed pointedly at his brother.

 

Kaiba paid his younger brother no mind and answered your question. “I’m curious to know the depths of your social behaviorisms and manners.”

 

Your lips pressed into a thin line and you questioned him further. “And what purpose, exactly, would that information serve?”

 

“That’s none of your business,” he shot tartly, ending the conversation with a drawn out sip of his wine.

 

 _Well excuse me for thinking my manners are my business asshole._ Seto Kaiba may have been your boss, but you were still allowed to beat him to hell in your head. You just had to keep it in your head. Which was actually a lot easier than you originally thought, simply because you’ve seen what happened to those who couldn’t. You swore up and down that Kaiba could hear a vocalized insult from a god damn mile away.

 

“Well so far you’re failing.”

 

Your head snapped up and you looked around with embarrassment until your eyes met Kaiba’s. “I’m sorry?”

 

He closed his eyes and gently exhaled, attempting to subdue his irritation. “I said, you’ll be filling in as my secretary for most of next week, she’ll be out.”

 

For a moment you stared blankly, but caught yourself before he was able to accuse you of failing to pay attention again. “Why?”

 

He still didn’t bother to give you a real answer, settling for his signature ‘it’s none of your business’. Which was fine, that didn’t matter. However, “Will I be getting a pay raise while she’s out?”

 

Generally, in literally any other situation, you would _not_ have been so formal about such a thing, as usually employers thought it was incredibly rude. However, Kaiba pulled the same shit all the time, so you really were only following his example.

 

And whether or not it irritated him, he certainly didn’t show it. “I suppose I could make it worth the minimal amount of extra effort.”

 

You weren’t totally convinced, he didn’t exactly agree to match your hourly wage, but that might have ended up being more trouble than it was worth, so you just took him up on the offer. Besides, the waitress was back.

 

She set your plates down carefully, refilled Kaiba’s glass, and double-checked to see if anyone else needed anything before flitting back into the main building. The conversation died for a few minutes, though you could feel Kaiba’s scrutinizing gaze on you for some time, and ignoring that was borderline impossible. You hated when people watched you eat.

 

Finally though, he spoke up. “You’re holding your spoon wrong. And you’re not supposed to put the whole thing in your mouth.”

 

You bit your tongue, forced away your irritated smile, and stared down at your spoon. _Well what the fuck am I supposed to do with it then?_ Suddenly, you figured out the whole point of his earlier statement. He was questioning whether or not you were capable of ‘dining with the queen’ so to speak, conducing yourself as you would at a fine dinner party or formal business dinner.

 

Technically speaking you could, it had been a requirement to learn such types of etiquette in high school. You’d ended up doing quite well, and there’d been many instances in which the class had come in handy and those around you had been fairly impressed. However, you doubted that even if you could remember every tiny detail you learned, it still wouldn’t be enough to impress Kaiba.

 

But maybe he’d appreciate your attempts to try.

 

You immediately sat up straight, repositioned your spoon to lay across your middle finger, and dipped it into your bowl, moving it away from you before bringing it to your lips and sipping it from the edge without slurping. Once you finished, your eyes met his and you silently challenged him to critique you again.

 

He met your stare easily, but kept his expression flat and finally hummed and looked away, not really sounding particularly pleased, but keeping his mouth shut nonetheless.

 

Most of the rest of lunch was quiet, you were sure Mokuba interjected with a question every time it seemed like Kaiba would give you some sort of snide comment or complain about your less than perfect table manners, but otherwise you weren’t ever required to say anything. It wasn’t until the end of lunch that you bothered to get the specifics of filling in for the secretary, and as soon as he was finished explaining he sent his card off with the waitress and left as soon as he got it back.

 

Mokuba walked you back to your desk at Kaiba Corp., gave you a hug, and wished you luck as he disappeared back into his brother’s office. As you watched him go you couldn’t internally thank him enough for being such a wonderful buffer between you and your _boss_. You still needed to figure out how you were going to repay him for all his trouble, but for the moment you had another stack of papers to deal with.

 

If he wasn’t trying to run you into the ground now, he sure as hell would next week.


	12. Chapter 12

By the end of Monday you felt as though you’d done a week’s worth of work, and the mere thought of having to come in the next morning burnt you out even further. You’d never seen the secretary do half of the errands Kaiba had demanded of you, and you’d been her assistant for _weeks_. You were sure he was just being a dick for the sake of being a dick.

 

Tuesday went much the same way, and you blessed the many hours you’d worked at the café, it had done well to prepare you for your continued torture. You were able to get all documents in on time, you somehow managed to not miss any calls – though luck probably had a hand to play in that – and you were able to keep the coffee pot full at all times. By the end of the day you couldn’t have been more proud of yourself, and your bed might as well have been the clouds beneath the Gates of Heaven.

 

Though, for whatever reason, he somehow didn’t give you _enough_ work on Wednesday, so most of the time you were sitting around wondering how to make yourself useful. You’d delivered all of the paperwork, filed everything you could, took the surprisingly few calls there were, and you had just made a new pot.

 

You really wanted to avoid sitting around and twiddling your thumbs, if Kaiba or anyone else came by you’d look like you weren’t doing your job. Besides, you’d already asked him if he needed anything else and he’d said no, so you were basically left to your own devices. Eventually, a thought occurred to you.

 

_What if he did this on purpose? Maybe he’s testing me to see if I just sit around and waste time when nobody has given me anything to do._

 

It sounded logical, and you were well aware of Kaiba’s tendency to test people, unbeknownst to them. At this point it was almost predictable, so now you _had_ to find something to do. Your job was probably on the line. You weren’t going to risk it.

 

So you peeked over the desk at the set of chairs with their backs against the glass. They were seldom used, but they could use some straightening up. You managed to blow through a minute or so doing that. Then you looked at the floor, and recalled that you’ve never seen anyone sweep it. That only took you maybe five minutes, the ‘waiting room’ hardly qualified as a real room. Then you remembered the awful messes in the desk drawers, and thought surely that would kill some time.

 

But you were hoping for a little more than twelve minutes.

 

Of course, there were always the windows, those were guaranteed to take up at least half an hour. Then again, you hated cleaning windows, so maybe you could find something else to do and use that as a last resort.

 

Except there was none. But forty minutes later gave you barely noticeable, slightly cleaner than before, windows. Not that you ever really looked out those windows. On occasion you glanced up and watched the clouds, but usually you couldn’t do that for more than a few seconds before the secretary caught you and prattled on about how ‘you can do that on your own time’.

 

Finally you were fed up with being bored and decided to pour two cups of coffee – Kaiba was going to get one whether he wanted it or not. You pushed open his office door and slipped inside, he was staring at a scattered pile of papers and didn’t bother looking up even as you set down a mug.

 

“I didn’t ask for coffee.”

 

“You’re welcome.”

 

He sighed and laid his pen down before looking up. “Did you need something?” His tone wasn’t kind, he sounded irritated, but you’d learned that it was almost a default setting, so it didn’t bother you.

 

“I need something to do.”

 

The look he gave you was almost one of disbelief, though if it was over your ‘stupidity’ you couldn’t be sure. “Why don’t you, I don’t know, do your _job_.”

 

You huffed in frustration. “I _have_. Everything’s been delivered and filed, nobody’s called in almost an hour, there’s a full pot of coffee, I organized all the drawers, swept the waiting room, and wiped down the god damn windows.”

 

Kaiba studied you for a long moment, peeking around you and out into the ‘waiting room’ as if to confirm your proclamations even though he wouldn’t be able to tell from where he was sitting. After a moment of consideration he looked back over his papers and hummed. “You can proof these as I give them to you,” he slid you a pen, “just keep them in order.”

 

 _Finally, something I’m actually_ good _at._ You sat down eagerly, took the pen, and pulled the chair up against the desk so you were sitting across from him. The first few papers weren’t all that great, you corrected a handful of things on each, but you noticed that they got progressively worse and after the seventh page you couldn’t help but ask. “Who wrote this?”

 

Kaiba finished looking over another one and handed it to you. “Some idiot from a local company based out of Kyoto. Why?”

 

Well you didn’t want to be rude but, “It’s borderline childish. Don’t they have someone proof these _before_ they send them to you? They’re getting embarrassing, and most of these mistakes are stupid.”

 

When you looked up after his silence, you found Kaiba looking at you with what might have been a slight hint of surprise. “What?”

 

He smirked, probably to himself, shook his head, and continued working.

 

The phone only went of twice within the next three hours, and you’d get up to go see what they wanted, direct them elsewhere – or tell them to fuck off – and return back to Kaiba’s desk to continue trudging through the godawful paperwork. You weren’t really sure what it was, not exactly, maybe a business proposal of some sort, but the writing was so atrocious it started to become hard to read.

 

Eventually you’d muscled through the bulk of it and the last thing that was left was some personal letter addressed to Kaiba specifically. You watched him read it, cringing as he sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

 

“That bad?”

 

He looked up at you, back down at the letter, and decided that it wouldn’t hurt to let you read it.

 

If it was supposed to be _formal_ , the attempt was poor at best. The man’s grammar lacked just about everything to be desired, almost every word with more than four syllables was misused beyond the point of deriving any sort of meaning, and his wishes to form a potential friendship with Kaiba literally had you in stitches.

 

“This is _pathetic_! Do people honestly think that this stuff works on you?” You really couldn’t believe that anyone who knew _anything_ about Seto Kaiba would assume that their proposal wouldn’t get tossed out after even a single mention of the word ‘friendship’.

 

Again, Kaiba was giving you that look he had a few hours before. One eyebrow raised, but the corner of his mouth turned up just enough for you to tell if you looked hard enough.

 

“ _What_?” you demanded, uncomfortable with the odd look you’d never seen on him before. You didn’t want it directed at you unless you knew what it meant, it was a general rule for Kaiba expressions.

 

He gathered the papers from your side of the desk and straightened them out between his palms. “You’re starting to sound like me,” he commented, sliding the proposal into a manila folder and labeling it to be sent off to marketing later.

 

You stared at him openly, confused, but also shocked at what he’d just implied. But even as you thought it over you slowly began to realize how right he was. You _had_ sounded just like him, though maybe not as harsh, but certainly just as critical. _Oh God, not good,_ not good.

 

For the rest of the night that was all you could think of, and it worried you and insinuated you’d already spent far too much time working for him. But it wasn’t like you could just leave and find another job. Well, you could, but the pay wouldn’t be anywhere near what you were now used to, and Kaiba wasn’t all that bad as long as you knew how to handle him. But you really were starting to pick up on his mannerisms, and that bothered you a _lot_. Especially since it hadn’t been noticeable to you.

 

On Thursday you’d managed to push it to the back of your mind, and you were thankful when the actual secretary finally came back a little while after lunch had started. She wasn’t in a pleasant mood, she wasn’t really a pleasant type of person, but at least her condescending grin was familiar.

 

You worked next to her silently as always, and you were content to just sit and be glad that things were back to normal. Having her job was not something you’d really want to volunteer for of your own volition, it kinda sucked. You’d much rather put up with her and be an assistant, so that was fine with you.

 

As nine o’clock rolled around you started packing up your things to leave, she had been ready to go for the past half hour. You stood, shouldered your bag, and grabbed your cup of coffee, ready to wait for the elevator. She accompanied you as she had on the rare occasion before, and you didn’t think much of it, until she said something.

 

“You know, I wouldn’t really get all that comfortable. You won’t be here for very much longer.” Her tone was rigid, but underneath you could sense that she was proud and sure that she was stating a fact.

 

That was a little unsettling. “What do you mean?”

 

She scoffed and rolled her eyes impatiently. “You were only hired as a temp, to help me while I was working on a personal project. Now that I’m almost done, you won’t be needed.”

 

Well shit.


	13. Chapter 13

You decided not to mention anything to your boss about what the secretary had said the next day, figuring if Kaiba was going to fire you, there’d be no changing his mind. Besides, the effort could be put to better use finding a new job for when you were let go.

 

The thought was a little bittersweet if you were honest with yourself, sure you wouldn’t have to put up with Kaiba being a jackass almost all of the time, but you also wouldn’t see Mokuba that often either. You’d grown pretty attached to the kid, and you could tell he felt pretty close to you as well. Though, you did have his phone number, and he had yours, so it wasn’t like you couldn’t just call him and ask to go out to lunch anymore.

 

Still, there was something else you felt like you were going to miss, but you couldn’t really figure out what that was exactly. And all attempts to delve into your mind and pick it apart were put aside when Mokuba came sauntering out of the elevator.

 

“Good morning!” he greeted, smiling as he caught your eye.

 

You grinned back at him and gave him an affectionate hello. “Another day tormenting your brother I presume?”

 

Mokuba shrugged halfheartedly, trying to hide the smirk on his lips. “Maybe, it _has_ been a while. Can I step in and get coffee?”

 

With a grimace you stood and accompanied him into the back room. “I suppose, I just don’t think you’ll appreciate eating coffee.”

 

He looked at you sideways, confused. “ _Can_ you eat coffee?”

 

“Well,” you laughed, “If I put any less water in this thing you might as well be chewing on it. I’ve never met anyone who liked their coffee so damn _strong_.”

 

It didn’t seem to bother him, he took advantage of the creamer and sugar you had under the cupboard for yourself and the secretary. And while he went to work to fix his cup you decided to pose a question.

 

“Hey, um… do you know anything about Kaiba wanting to fire me?”

 

Mokuba nearly spilled the powdered cream all over himself. “ _What_? Fire you? I fucking hope not!”

 

You peeked around the door to see if the secretary had heard you before continuing. “I was talking to Ms. Bitch over there in the elevator last night and she said I was only hired as a temp to help her while she worked on some project.”

 

He scowled down into the creamy depths of his coffee, thinking. “He hasn’t said anything about it, or really about you for that matter. It could be one of those business etiquette things, but I can ask if you want?”

 

You shook your head. “No, if he has it in his mind I really don’t think anything can change it. I’d just rather be prepared, you know?”

 

Again he made a face into the dissipating foam. “To be honest, I’ve really liked you just being around. I’d _hate_ to see you get booted.”

 

For a moment you both were quiet, then you decided that you’d walk Mokuba in and give Kaiba his morning coffee while you were in there – you were surprised he hadn’t asked for it already.

 

As always Seto Kaiba was engrossed in his work, and he barely registered the mug you placed by his right hand. It took a gentle cough from Mokuba to get him to look up and cease his typing. “Good morning, Mokuba.”

 

You figured you no longer had business in your boss’ office so you smiled to Mokuba and turned to leave, though pausing as you caught the boy’s question.

 

“Hey Seto, can the three of us go out to dinner tonight?”

 

Kaiba looked up from his desk and studied his brother. “Why don’t you and I go to dinner?”

 

Again, you began to leave, figuring the conversation was over.

 

Mokuba shook his head. “No, I’d really like if she came, too. Please, Seto?”

 

You really wanted to protest, to tell Mokuba that it really wasn’t a big deal and that he’d probably enjoy himself more if it were just the two of them. Of course, you weren’t totally sure of that last part, but you couldn’t just tell him you had no interest in dining with Kaiba again.

 

But you paused and turned politely, waiting to be dismissed formally by your _boss_. You had to keep reminding yourself of that.

 

Kaiba’s eyes darted between you and Mokuba, and he seemed to narrow his eyes just slightly when they landed on you. “Fine. Have her ready by six.”

 

Mokuba grinned, pleased that he hadn’t had to go to any greater lengths to get his brother to agree. He then whirled on you and nearly pulled you out of the office, despite your willingness to go. When he closed the office doors behind you he finally addressed you directly. “I hope I didn’t make you too uncomfortable, but going to dinner with just my brother can be awful sometimes. You don’t mind going, do you?”

 

You couldn’t tell him you did, because that was only partially true. You minded, a _little_ , but only because of Kaiba. However, once you told him you didn’t want to go, you might not get the opportunity to explain that it wasn’t his fault. So you simply shook you your head and told him you couldn’t wait. “Oh, um, what should I wear?”

 

He paused and thought about it, “I guess it’ll probably be a ‘little black dress’ type of place.” Before you sat back down he called your name again, and you swore his smile was wider. “Do I get to take you shopping again?”

 

 _Oh no…_ The excitement on his face was far too precious to dismiss, and he had had such a good time buying you work suits. Besides, you hardly believed any of the dresses you had were all that acceptable, so you returned his question with a playful sigh. “I suppose you do~”

 

You didn’t see him again until a little after lunch, but you were quite sure he’d been wearing the same smile all afternoon.


	14. Chapter 14

Somehow having someone else shop _for_ you was far more enjoyable than shopping for yourself, especially since it’d never been one of those things you particularly enjoyed doing. But Mokuba was having a ball and you couldn’t help but take on a little bit of his enthusiasm. He was definitely contagious.

 

However, you did get a little more input on your preferences this time around, since you knew what types of dresses you liked, didn’t like, and what made you feel especially pretty. But you also gave him fair say, since he would be one of the ones looking at you all night.

 

Since he came by after lunch it only gave the two of you four hours to make sure you looked like you belonged at dinner with them. You were sure a countless number of hours wouldn’t have ever made you _feel_ the part, but you’ve certainly heard the phrase ‘fake it ‘till you make it’, and Mokuba seemed like he knew what he was doing. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you wondered how he was so good at dressing women.

 

You were pulled from the depths of your fleeting thoughts as he called for your attention and repeated himself.

 

“Well? What do you think?” He motioned dramatically towards the mirror behind you so that you’d look at the dress he’d picked out.

 

It fell just below the knees, the cut across the bottom made it lay a little funny over your hips, and the collar was _not_ to your liking. You blinked, tried to hide your crinkled nose, and turned to face him. “Can I wear something a little less fashion forward? And something I can actually move my legs in?”

 

He tapped his lips with his index finger and eyed your figure again. When an idea struck him, he called out to the woman walking by and had her go fetch something else, seemingly pleased with himself.

 

You slipped back into the dressing room, tugged off the awful monstrosity that had been dared labeled as a dress, and tossed it over the top of the door. When the woman approached to take that one back and hand you the new one, you were instantly far more pleased with it. You even had a skip in your step when you pranced back towards the mirror to show Mokuba.

 

Maybe it was a little childish, but you danced in circles just to make the skirt do _the thing_. It always pleased you when you wore dresses that flared when you spun around. Mokuba seemed to be sold on it before you even gave him your opinion.

 

This one stopped at the knees, had a modest sweetheart neckline with a ribbon that tied around your neck – you were pleased that the bow was crisp and the tails fell all the way down to the small of your back, accentuating the sway in your walk – and looked as though it was forged in the vast depths of the ocean. It was _enchanting_.

 

And then a thought occurred to you.

 

“Mokuba. Why did you pick out a blue one.” You didn’t bother asking it as a question, you were sure you already knew the answer.

 

He visibly bit his tongue and sank sheepishly into the couch. “Blue looks really nice on you.”

 

You turned on him and crossed your arms. “Cut the crap, I’m not stupid.”

 

Finally he sighed in defeat. “Oh come on, if he thinks you look pretty he might be nicer.”

 

“Mokuba, I can look nice without wearing blue!” Your cheeks began to heat up and you knew you’d just given yourself away.

 

He grinned mischievously, leaning forward on his knees and propping his head in the heels of his palms. “Aww, you look embarrassed~”

 

“Shut up, Mokuba!”

 

But he was unfazed by your outburst and simply told the outfitter that he’d found a dress he liked.

 

You quietly fumed as you stomped off to remove yourself from the now unsavory garment, pouting the whole while as you redressed in your work clothes. _That little rat, I can’t believe he’d pull this! ... Actually, I can believe it, but that doesn’t make it better._

 

But oh how your torture was far from over.

 

Finding shoes didn’t take nearly as long as you might have wished, since you just wanted to be done at that point and go home for the day. When Mokuba had insisted on a pair of while heels you really had tried to throw a fit, but he would have none of it, insisting that black was simply too “overdone”.

 

They were still cute, all lace on the sides with cute little bows on the front. Plus they were comfortable and didn’t pinch, which was nearly impossible to achieve. They were just... _white_. They insinuated things.

 

However, you nearly stormed out of the jewelry store when he showed you what he’d _already_ bought, which meant you hadn’t had any kind of say and you were morally obligated to wear it. He argued, saying he’d bought it a long time ago when he custom ordered it, and then pleaded because this was the first chance it’d ever had to be worn. You were _not_ pleased.

 

The necklace itself, by all rights, was gorgeous. It was sculpted with incredible artistry, the gems were cut and polished with stunning care, and looking at it gave you chills. Except for the fact that it was beautifully ornate dragon with wings that stretched across your collarbones. The eyes had been laid with clearest sapphires you’d ever seen, and the decorative opals sparkled subtly with more elegance than you thought any opal deserved.

 

It was _unfair_.

 

And borderline cruel.

 

“Are you actually serious?” you protested, marching back onto the sidewalk in the direction of the limo. “I hope you don’t honestly expect me to fucking _parade_ around wearing that!”

 

Mokuba followed you out, but was unable to keep the smile from his lips. “Oh don’t be so harsh, it’s cute and you know it.”

 

You huffed and glared at him out of the corner of your eye. “Cute? Oh no, cute is not dressing up trying to imitate your _boss’s_ favorite. _Playing. Card._ That is not cute.”

 

You could almost feel him roll his eyes at you, and he shook his head as the two of you slid into the car. “You can’t honestly tell me that you don’t think the Blue Eyes White Dragon isn’t at least a _little_ bit cool. It’s a fucking dragon, it’s _badass_ by _default_. I think you should be honored.”

 

Okay fine, yes dragons were on the pedestal of mythical creatures and were the most badass of them all in every sense of the term. _However_ , they also seemed to be an odd source of obsession for your boss, and that was a little bit weird. Sure, people aren’t without their faults, but at this point you’d long since pegged him as ‘dragonsexual’. It wasn’t like you ever saw him out with women, so he really couldn’t prove you otherwise. So the whole ‘parading around as a blue eyes’ wasn’t helping the awkward factor.

 

Mokuba accompanied you to your apartment, insisting that he act as your ‘fashion expert’ so that not a hair was out of place. Of course that just shot your nerves fairly early on, and you ended up shooing him out into the living room and ordering him to stay there until you were finished. By the time you thought your makeup was at least _almost_ on par with the rest of the outfit, you barely had enough time to loiter around.

 

After that you were just blindly led around by Mokuba, who stuffed you back into the limo and told the driver to high tail it back to wherever he was going to take you. You thought maybe he’d take you back to Kaiba Corp., as illogical as it seemed, but that didn’t end up being the case.

 

He took you back to the Kaiba Mansion.


	15. Chapter 15

It took several attempts from Mokuba to just get you _out_ of the limo, as you were firm in your want to not go anywhere near that house, much less _inside_. Going into that house represented getting more involved with your _boss_ than it did tending to Mokuba’s whims. The less involved with Kaiba you could be, the better. But you also didn’t want to sit in an empty car for the forty minutes Mokuba said it would take him to get ready, so you reluctantly dragged yourself onto the driveway and peered up at the house.

 

To be fair, it really shouldn’t have been labeled as a house, it was far too superfluous for such a humble term. Just looking at it made you wonder how many unused rooms there were, but you were sure that number far outweighed the number of _used_ rooms. He caught you in your moment of transfixion and took the opportunity to pull you in through the doors.

 

“Oh my god.” Frankly, you were almost disgusted by the blatant flaunting of money. You turned in circles and you simply couldn’t escape it. It was everywhere and subtly overbearing. There was a slight feeling you got as you continued to look around, and you were afraid for a moment that you’d get lost or swallowed by the sheer intensity of it all. Mokuba’s voice brought you back down to earth.

 

“I’ll be upstairs, okay? I’ll hurry, and the maids know to not let Seto see you yet, so just stay put!” You only caught him as he was dashing up the stairs, and what he said made the whole ordeal even more unsettling.

 

 _‘The maids know to not let Seto see you yet.’_ Good god, he made it sound like the two of you were getting married. Which was by far the most unsavory thought you could possibly imagine. You’d rather hang yourself, or pay Aokigahara a visit – people who ventured in never usually made it back out, and you didn’t really mind the specifics.

 

But you were able to find the living room – or some room that had a semblance to one – and made yourself comfortable on the couch. You could tell it was fairly expensive, it was one of those that you’d have to spend a lot of time on in order to find it legitimately comfortable. But you made do, and tried to fight the urge to wander off into the bowls of the house.

 

After a little while you heard a thump on the stairs and leaned forward to see if it was Mokuba. It was not, and you cursed yourself for not leaning back and hiding yourself from view. Actually, he didn’t see you, but really you shouldn’t have seen him, not in the state of dress he was in anyhow.

 

You could tell he didn’t notice you because of the way he purposefully flew down the stairs, which was accentuated by the way his unbuttoned dress shirt flared around his hips and his long strides as he hit the floor. You absolutely should have looked away as soon as you knew it wasn’t Mokuba, but dammit if he wasn’t attractive.

 

 _And also your boss!_ You mentally chided yourself for thinking such things. Sure, you’d admitted to yourself a long time ago that he was attractive, that was a fact that not many people denied. But in this context it felt different, it made you feel dirty. And not the sexy kind.

 

Thankfully he was storming back upstairs within a minute or two, and you didn’t have to wait much longer before Mokuba stepped over and announced that he was ready. He looked _very_ handsome, and his hair was actually tamed for once, which helped him look cleaner and less like the grungy teenager you knew he could be.

 

“Seto’s almost done, we should wait by the door,” he offered, helping you to your feet and guiding you out into the foyer to wait for his brother.

 

It didn’t take all that long, but as soon as Kaiba appeared at the top of the stairs you were suddenly overwhelmed by the fact that you had _no idea_ how he was going to react to what you were wearing. And you _knew_ it wasn’t going to go flying over his head. Your cheeks flushed, your shoulders tensed, and you pointedly looked away from him as he descended down the stairs.

 

He could say anything really. He could tell Mokuba that he wasn’t ever allowed to take you shopping again, he could suddenly decide that dinner was canceled because he didn’t like what you were wearing, he could make you go change into something else (which you wouldn’t have really protested to) or he could just have you sent home and exclude you from the dinner. All of those would’ve been viable options, options that you would have _accepted_. Typical Kaiba behavior.

 

“You look beautiful.”

 

 _FUCKING ASSHOLE!_ That was not typical Kaiba behavior, and you were not happy that he was being polite. He wasn’t polite. He was Kaiba. “Thanks.” But you were still obligated to treat him with respect as he was still _your boss._ No dinner was going to change that.

 

At least you really hoped not. The whole ‘blue eyes’ outfit thing was just a trick Mokuba was using to get Kaiba to _notice_ you, you were sure of that. But it was a cheap trick, Kaiba didn’t even look fazed, there was no way to tell if he even appreciated the lengths his brother probably went through to get his hands on the necklace draped over your collarbones. Sure, Mokuba confided in you, and you were positive it was probably due to the fact that there weren’t many other girls out there he _could_ confide in. So you’d heard all about his worries concerning his brother, how he was worried that he’d never marry, or fall in love, or at least lessen his chances of being a crotchety old man.

 

Though, you didn’t appreciate Mokuba using you to appease his hopes and dreams. You loved him, and you weren’t afraid to admit it, you two had grown very close. But that didn’t mean you were going to make this easy for him. As far as you were concerned, Kaiba could have his head bitten off by one of his precious dragons.

 

“Wow Seto, I think she’s speechless.”

 

Again he brought you back to reality and you whipped your head in his direction. Your eyes narrowed, he knew what you were trying to convey, and you made a point to make sure he knew he wouldn’t get away with it. But for now, there was dinner to be had.

 

Kaiba offered you his arm to lead you out of the house, and despite the angry burning in your cheeks, you took it without protest. It was awkward and it made you feel slightly uncomfortable, he was your boss and it just didn’t seem right. However, you knew that playing along was the key to making sure things went smoothly, and keeping Kaiba’s unruly temper in check was the top priority. If you could avoid that you were golden.

 

For the entire drive Mokuba just smiled at you, obviously pleased with himself and his ingenious idea. You only sneered back, trying to keep your composure while silently beating him down in such a way where Kaiba wouldn’t notice or bother to chastise you.

 

The silent conversation you were having with Mokuba helped pass the time, and helped you to forget your current situation. He was good at making you forget you were uncomfortable, and for that you were thankful. It only took what seemed like a handful of seconds before the limo slowed and pulled up next to a restaurant you were unfamiliar with.

 

As soon as the car stopped Kaiba practically pulled you out into the open and rushed you inside, one arm wrapped firmly around your waist as he had Mokuba shield your other side. You looked around wildly, confused and alarmed by the sudden rush as the boys practically carted you into the restaurant. When they finally released you and Kaiba was busy checking the reservations, you brushed out your dress and glowered at Mokuba.

 

“What the _hell_ was that about?” you hissed under your breath, not wanting to draw attention to yourself.

 

Mokuba grimaced. “Sorry about that, we just wanted to try and make it so nobody saw you with us.”

 

Your face soured and you glared at him. “Well if you’re that ashamed to be seen with me then why did you invite me to dinner?” It had come out sounding far nastier than you had intended, but your point still stood.

 

He wasn’t able to give a response before Kaiba took your arm and led you over to a table far in the back of the building that had a private view of the outside gardens. You were too caught up in your bad mood to protest when Kaiba ordered you wine, thinking that maybe that’d help you get over yourself.

 

When the waitress left Mokuba finally spoke up. “If people see us and we’re not by ourselves, we usually get hounded by the paparazzi pretty quickly. We’d rather not subject you to that.”

 

You sat back in your chair and thought it over, concluding that he was probably telling you the truth. But just in case, you figured you’d ask Kaiba. You weren’t sure what delusions you were under, thinking that he’d give you a civil, straightforward answer.

 

“When we leave, just make sure no one sees your face. I don’t want to have to deal with the press tomorrow morning.”

 

_Well at least he’s back to being good ol’ Kaiba._


	16. Chapter 16

Saying that dinner was uncomfortable was just as heinous as implying that you didn’t mind parading around as a dragon. And you minded it _very_ much.

 

You didn’t have to try very hard to see it, and you weren’t sure if he was actually trying to be subtle about it. But even before dinner got started, you’d caught Kaiba staring on a handful of occasions. Generally his eyes were cast downward, following the curve of the dress and lingering on the little details. He wasn’t exactly undressing you with his eyes, quite the opposite rather. He seemed to very quietly appreciate the way Mokuba had dressed you, and every time you looked at the younger of the two, you could tell he was very much aware.

 

Initially, you made it up in your mind that you’d strive for elegance and properness. You wouldn’t speak unless spoken to, you’d eat with the manners of royalty, and you’d keep your speech articulated and educated. You could at least rub it in Kaiba’s face that you didn’t have to be like every other _commoner_. You just chose to because it helped you blend in.

 

However, Kaiba’s stare very quickly picked apart at your resolve, and you were beginning to grow frustrated with him. Of course you couldn’t just outright tell him to quit looking at you, not at first anyway. You had to at least try to be polite before you tore him a new one.

 

“You know, I’ve heard people say that pictures last longer.” Maybe it was still a little bit rude, but your inflections sounded sweet and you even managed to force a smile for him.

 

His eyes snapped up to meet yours, and they narrowed slightly with bitter irritation. However, he remained silent and ignored you in favor of Mokuba, which you were expecting. While the two of them were engaged in conversation you took advantage of your full glass of wine, settling for admiring the view outside.

 

The sun hadn’t quiet set yet, so the sky was still bright enough to illuminate the flowers and hedge walls along the stone fence. There was even a decorative fountain with a goddess statue in the middle of a large potted flower bed. You imagined yourself sitting outside in the cool air on one of the benches, tossing coins into the water and making wishes. It was certainly a far better use of your time than sitting inside having dinner with the world’s most egotistical jackass and a brother whose kindness you felt he didn’t deserve.

 

But sadly, you were yanked back inside by the sound of Mokuba’s voice.

 

“Hey, I never asked if you even played video games!”

 

 _Of course, talk about business at dinner._ “Uh, not very often, only when I have some extra time.” Sure, you appreciated playing video games, and most of the ones you owned were from Kaiba Corp. simply because others didn’t really compare. But you’d hardly had time to indulge in that kind of a pleasure, school was more important.

 

He seemed pleased enough by your answer either way. “Do you think you could come over sometime so we can play? The butler isn’t very good...”

 

That was certainly an amusing thought, and as much as you’d like having a gaming partner, you simply didn’t have the time. “I wish I could, but when I finally get home at night I’ve always got schoolwork.”

 

Here he cocked his head to one side, confusion knotting his brow together. “Schoolwork? Aren’t you a little old for school?”

 

You looked mildly insulted.

 

“Uh, no, I didn’t mean it like that! I just... what kind of school?” His cheeks were still red with embarrassment, and now you could feel Kaiba’s eyes on you again.

 

“I’m going to a local college, and since I’m in my last semester I didn’t have a problem taking online courses. By the end of the spring, I’ll have a bachelor’s.” Your eyes flicked instinctively to Kaiba’s, curious to see if you’d impressed him, if only a little.

 

He only ‘hmph’d and went back to his wine, allowing you and Mokuba to carry on with the conversation until the waitress came back.

 

 _Shit, I don’t even know what I want._ And a quick glance at the menu let you know that you couldn’t read any of it either. _Well damn._

 

Mokuba had become quite good at reading you, and noticed the immediate look of confused frustration. He made a quick decision and ordered for you, handing your menu to the waitress with a smile. “You know,” he started, “you’ll owe me big time one day. It seems like I’m constantly saving your ass all the time.”

 

“Oh ha ha, keep it up and I might send you a birthday card,” you teased, smirking behind your glass of wine.

 

“Well then, I expect to see something in the mail on July 7th~”

 

You rolled your eyes playfully, taking the opportunity to stab at Kaiba while you were at it. “Oh? And what if I want to send Head Honcho over here something too?”

 

“That’ll be October 25th, so just before _Halloween_ ,” he offered, grinning widely at his older brother.

 

“Isn’t that an American thing?”

 

Mokuba shrugged. “Yeah, but you haven’t lived until you’ve seen Seto scared _literally_ out of his pants.” The way he held his hand over his mouth to muffle his own giggles told you that there was a story and you made sure not to forget to ask later.

 

“Okay,” Kaiba said, “That’s enough, Mokuba.”

 

Well killjoy ruined your fun, _again_ , so you settled on talking about your degree, plans for after college – which were practically nonexistent – and things that you wanted to do with yourself in life. If you hadn’t forgotten that Kaiba was sitting next to you, you probably wouldn’t have open up quite so much. But people didn’t generally care enough to ask, and Mokuba seemed genuinely interested. Plus, he talked about himself just as much, and it helped pass the time until the waitress approached with steaming plates of food.

 

When your plate was set in front of you it was like instant jackpot. _You can’t go wrong with meat and potatoes~_ Of course, it was presented as a fancy little cake-like entrée, but that wasn’t going to stop it from tasting amazing. At least you could trust what was on your plate, by the looks of whatever Kaiba had, you weren’t sure if it was still alive or dead.

 

You shuddered, but thankfully began eating despite the awful mental image, smiling at Mokuba as a way of thanks.

 

Dinner conversation was dead until Mokuba finished, to which he began a one-sided exchange with his brother. You didn’t finish long after, happily joined just to annoy Kaiba, but regretted doing so as soon as he pushed his own plate aside.

 

“I’m almost impressed, you haven’t seemed to embarrass yourself yet.”

 

 _Prick_. “Well maybe you don’t, but I have high expectations of myself.”

 

He scoffed. “Oh really? Is that why you were working at a coffee shop only a few months ago?”

 

You scowled, not appreciative of his degrading tone. “It was the income that I needed, and my work hours didn’t interfere with my schoolwork.”

 

“What’s the point in getting a degree now, anyway? You work for me, and I pay you more than any other employer ever would.”

 

He was absolutely right, which was exceptionally odd. “You do, don’t you? Why is that, exactly? I mean, I’m not complaining, but there certainly doesn’t seem to be a point to paying me as much as you are for the work I’m doing.”

 

Here he smirked, but it looked quite unnerving. “Well then, if you’re so sure I can always reduce your pay.”

 

 _Shit shit shit!_ “Oh come on, that’d only be extra paperwork for numbers you wouldn’t see any change in.”

 

He nodded, as if he were pleased with your response. “Using my own valuable time against me, not bad. Maybe I really ought to keep you around after all.”

 

And up popped the red flags. Even Mokuba noticed. “So she wasn’t lying, then? You really were going to fire me weren’t you?”

 

Kaiba paused as he began to bring his glass to his lips, then set it back on the table, his gaze steady and even. “Is that what this is about? You thought I was going to fire you? Who told you that?”

 

“You’re secretary. She said I was only hired as a temporary aid to help her while she focused on some project. And that you’d let me go when she finished, which should be soon by the way she made it sound.” You weren’t sure if you regretted ratting her out, because if _she_ got fired for spouting lies you didn’t want to be the one taking her job. You’d already wanted to hang yourself after only four days.

 

His eyes narrowed, but you could sense it was mostly to himself. “Well,” he sighed, “I’m _not_ firing you. If I can avoid going to that awful café for decent coffee I will. But she wasn’t wrong. You were a temp.”

 

Mokuba looked as if he was about to plead to his brother. “Seto, surely you can keep her around, at least she keeps me entertained so I don’t bother you.”

 

“I already said I wasn’t firing her, she might even want to take over as my secretary,” he offered, though the twinkle in his eye gave away the torment in his words.

 

You shook your head and glowered. “No way, her job _sucks_. I like where I’m at right now.”

 

He thought for a moment, swirling the small amount of wine still left in his glass. “Well you won’t be much use as an aid to my secretary anymore, she doesn’t need you. And neither will who I decide to replace her with. So I’ll have to find something for you to do.”

 

One look at Mokuba’s grin told you his mind was well into the gutter. You kicked him under the table and hissed at him, but he only laughed at you and held his hands up in defense. “Cut it out, I didn’t even say anything!”

 

“ _You didn’t have to._ ”

 

Even though Kaiba looked unfazed on the outside you knew he was probably cursing his brother on the inside. Kaiba didn’t seem like the type to appreciate dirty jokes all that much, at least not when they were at his expense. He was still a guy though, as long as he wasn’t a robot.


	17. Chapter 17

Usually you never had room for desert at restaurants, but the portions had been so small that even dessert sounded good. And again, Mokuba made sure you were brought something delicious.

 

You were sure he got ice cream, and whatever Kaiba had looked life soufflé, but you still weren’t sure about yours, other than it tasted like a slice of heaven. Also, the cherry was a cool bonus, it had a nice long stem and you thought you might try something out.

 

It’d been a long time since you were able to do it, generally cherries with good stems were hard to come by. But once you’d finished off the maraschino you popped the stem in too and smiled as the two looked at you with surprise.

 

“You’re not supposed to eat the stem, you idiot.”

 

You shook your head and continued to bend and fold the stem in your mouth, maneuvering it around and over your tongue. It took a few awkward seconds longer than you would’ve liked, but eventually you pulled it out from between your lips, displaying it as a little knot.

 

Kaiba didn’t seem impressed by your childish trick, but Mokuba was biting his lip so hard you thought it might bleed.

 

“What?” you asked, growing concerned as his face turned red.

 

“Don’t you know,” Mokuba said, “People that can tie cherry stems in knots with their tongues are really good at – “

 

You kicked him under the table again with murder in your eyes, silently provoking him to sign his death wish. His grin stayed but he promised to keep his mouth shut.

 

Kaiba, however, didn’t seem to understand. “What are you talking about? Good at what?”

 

When his eyes met yours you simply shoved a spoonful of your cobbler-esque dessert into your mouth and very pointedly looked away. You were _not_ about to discuss anything sexual in a restaurant with _Kaiba_.

 

“It means she’s a good kisser,” Mokuba spat, smirking devilishly. He’d left the worst out, but you weren’t sure why. However, you still kicked him anyway.

 

Kaiba only rolled his eyes. “Somehow I doubt that.”

 

 _Why that no good piece of..._ You turned to him and raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Like you’d ever know.”

 

Mokuba was having a god damn ball. “And,” you kicked him, he shrunk, “ _Oral_!”

 

 _Oh that fucking does it._ “Mokuba, if I were you, I wouldn’t give me anymore of a reason to fucking murder you in your damn sleep. I’m _still pissed_ over this dress, so you might want to be careful about digging your grave any deeper.” If he’d been any closer you could’ve grabbed his tie for effect, but you still kept your voice low and your eyes narrowed.

 

You heard a scoff.

 

“And I _highly_ doubt _that_.”

 

Whirling your head in his direction, you kept your scowl steady. “Oh shut up, you won’t ever know _that_ either!”

 

You half expected him to scold you for telling him off like you just did, or ignore you at the very least. But again, he did something very un-Kaiba like.

 

As his stare hardened he leaned in very close, close enough for his breath to slide across the skin of your neck, warm and threatening. The way lips brushed against your ear sent chills along your spine, and you stiffened in your chair as he whispered to you.

 

“ _Do not challenge me on something you aren’t willing to prove, because if you do, you_ won’t _like the outcome._ ”

 

Dinner was _very_ uncomfortable.

 

* * *

 

 

When Kaiba announced that it was time to leave so he could get back to work, you couldn’t have been more grateful. The sooner you could get away from him the sooner you could scrub the skin off the right side of your face.

 

Once the bill was taken care of you stood and smoothed out the skirt of your dress, joining the boys as they made their way out.

 

Mokuba stopped short at the edge of the room, holding his arm out. “Hang on, I think we’ve got a problem.”

 

You started to step out and around him to see what he was talking about, but Kaiba pulled you against him and kept you out of sight.

 

“Hey, what’s the big deal?” you protested, squirming as much as you could from under his iron grip.

 

“The paparazzi,” Mokuba groaned, turned his head to scan for another exit. “Looks like we have to go through the front, I don’t see another door anywhere in the garden.”

 

You heard Kaiba swear under his breath, but he let you go as he slipped out of his jacket, draping it over your shoulders. “Keep your face down and your shoulders up, and _don’t_ make me have to carry you.”

 

They didn’t give you enough time to question much of anything, so as they rushed you through the restaurant – the crowd of people quite visible through the large glass windows – you simply did as instructed. With your head buried half into his shirt, Kaiba pushed you through the doors and guided you back to the limo, keeping Mokuba directly in front of you.

 

The shouting was so abruptly loud it startled you terribly, and the flashing lights stabbed at your eyelids. You pressed yourself further against him, shrinking from the onslaught of questions and comments as they seemed to come from every direction. It was really unsettling, and as soon as you were in the car you curled into fetal position and hid your face between your knees.

 

Suddenly the jacket was gone and a pair of hands were at your shoulders.

 

“Hey, are you alright? It’s okay, you’re safe now.”

 

You looked up to find Mokuba nearly leaning over you with worry etched all over his face. Kaiba sat next to you, his jacket folded in his lap as he stared at you intently. Slowly you sat up and uncurled yourself, peering out the window and pleased to see that at least you were moving and away from the crowd.

 

“Is it always like this?” you asked softly, wrapping your arms around yourself.

 

Kaiba gave you an abrupt, flat answer. “Yes.”

 

You thought that maybe he was trying to use the paparazzi to scare you away, which really was a solid idea. They were hell to deal with, and you’d only experienced it for a few short seconds. But you weren’t about to let invasive questions and crazed journalists deter you from continuously inching your way into the brothers’ lives. Of course you weren’t an active player in getting involved, but you didn’t want the paparazzi to be the reason you backed out. That was too easy, and you were stronger than that.

 

At some point on the ride home you felt yourself began to shiver, and Kaiba offered you his jacket without comment, draping it over your shoulders. For a brief moment his fingertips brushed along your arms and you shuddered, pulling his jacket tighter around you.

 

As insignificant as it seemed at the time, your eyes kept shifting over to him for the remainder of the car ride. It had _definitely_ been intentional, but also subtle enough for Mokuba to not notice. It was gentle and affectionate and all things you didn’t think Kaiba was capable of being, especially not to _you_. Of course there was also the possibility that you were overthinking it, which seemed far more likely.

 

But as the limo pulled up to the house you moved to follow Mokuba out, thinking that maybe he would drive you back to your apartment since he drove you to the house. But Kaiba rested a hand on your shoulder and shook his head.

 

“You’re staying with me. We’re going back to the office.”

 

At first you felt nervous about being alone with him, but at the mention of the office your heart dropped and you slumped back into your seat and scowled out the window. Of course, even though there were only another two hours left, and you had just gone to a fancy dinner, he was going to squeeze out every second of the work day.

 

You weren’t really looking forward to walking up to your desk in what you were wearing. The secretary would surely have fun tormenting you.


	18. Chapter 18

The limo pulled around to the front of the corporate building and Kaiba insisted on helping you out, but you didn’t bother hiding your suspicion as you took his hand. However, you stayed quiet as he led you through the doors and over to the elevators, noting how he wasn’t using the personal one that lead into his office. You were sure he wanted the secretary see you two together, and suddenly felt self-conscious.

 

But still, you didn’t complain, and stood at a respectable distance while you ascended to the top floor. When the door opened, you waited for him to exit first, and he did, walking briskly to his office and disappearing inside. You didn’t meet the secretary’s eyes as you walked over and took your seat at your half of the desk, desperately looking for something to do while trying to remain aloof to her existence.

 

“Wow, I thought you had more pride than that.”

 

 _And what the fuck is that supposed to mean._ “I’m sorry?” At least you still sounded polite on the outside.

               

She scoffed and looked back down at her work. “I just figured you’d leave with dignity, not _suck_ up to him to try and keep your job.”

 

You rolled your eyes, and gave her a sideways look. “If I wasn’t keeping my job, I wouldn’t bother with being polite to you.”

 

Her eyes widened, but only a little. “Oh you couldn’t have been _that_ good.”

 

 _Why does everyone think I’m sexually incompetent?_ “You’ll never know.”

 

After that the conversation died rather abruptly, and she left you alone for the remainder of the night. However, two hours later when Kaiba reemerged from his office, the secretary rose to leave and was disgustingly sweet with her biddings of goodnight. He only nodded and you could tell she wasn’t pleased with his lack of a response.

 

Then he called your name and you looked up from packing your things, silently questioning him.

 

“Walk with me.”

 

His request was a little out of line as far as his character was concerned – which seemed to be the theme for the night – but you didn’t dare say no, and silently accompanied him back to the elevators. You weren’t exactly sure why he had asked you to walk with him, he didn’t say a word, not until you began walking towards the drive reserved for the bus.

 

“Where are you going? Your car is in the other direction,” he stated, vaguely pointing in the direction of the parking garage.

 

You shook your head. “It’s in the shop, I took the bus this morning.” And as you turned to continue walking, he called out to you again.

 

“Get over here, I’m taking you home.”

 

 _Funny how he can’t be polite without being demanding._ But there was no sense in fighting him, so you simply turned around and made your way back to the limo as it pulled up next to your _boss_. As you got in you figured that it’d drive you crazy if you didn’t bother to at least say something about it.

 

“You know, you’re being awfully nice today.”

 

He looked at you and arched a brow, seeming to question your conclusion. “I’m not being nice.”

 

 _Bullshit._ “Oh no? Then why are you giving me a ride home?”

 

“I don’t want you taking the bus this late at night.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“It’s dangerous.”

 

“You care?”

 

“I don’t want to see your dead body on the six o’clock news.”

 

Ouch. Well you couldn’t entirely blame his train of thought, it’d crossed your own mind more than a handful of times. The buses could be a little intimidating at night, regardless of the fact that nothing safety wise had really changed. It was still creepy.

 

“I’m also going to prove a point.”

 

 _Oh fuck, what the hell does that mean?_ “What point?”

 

“One that you made earlier.”

 

“You couldn’t be any _less_ vague.”

 

“You’ll find out.”

 

You sighed and crossed your arms in a huff, glaring at the window to the driver’s seat. You’d been frowning a lot lately, hopefully you wouldn’t start getting premature wrinkles from just hanging around your _boss_. Because he was your _boss_ and that was an important thing to remember. The more you stated that to yourself the more you were able to stay in line. Or at least it seemed that way.

 

The quiet ride made the trip to your house seem to take longer than it should have, and that might have been due to the fact that you spent the entire time worrying over what point Kaiba was going to try to prove. It literally could be anything, and there wasn’t much, if anything at all, for you to go by. So you only succeeded in worrying over what was probably going to be nothing.

 

Soon the limo stopped in front of your apartment building and Kaiba politely helped you out of the car and walked you up the stairs to your front door. _He’s just being polite_. That’s what you kept telling yourself, even as you unlocked the door and stepped inside to set your things down on the floor. When you turned to say goodnight he looked as though he had something to say.

 

Kaiba took a slight step away from your door, though didn’t make any Indication of leaving, and waited for you to join him back outside. As you walked through the threshold he reached behind you and pulled the door closed, and you backed up against it cautiously.

 

He said nothing and gave no warning, just simply closed the space and placed his hands against the door beside your shoulders. You suddenly became hyper aware of everything around you, which ended up being only Kaiba since he was practically surrounding you. Everything in your body tensed, your hands reflexively flew to his chest to push him away, and you made the mistake up looking up.

 

His lips weren’t gentle, not at first, he was invasive and rough, not unlike himself as a whole, and you fought him as best you could, which really wasn’t much. He followed every tilt of your head and leaned his weight into your hands as they continued to struggle. However, it didn’t take long before you became exhausted, and a moment’s hesitation only pushed him further. You whined as his tongue pushed between your lips, and suddenly you began to stop fighting.

 

Your fingers gripped at the edge of his coat, your shoulders relaxed, and you rose up to meet him halfway. Your willingness to participate lasted for a mere second, and then you were cold again.

 

He had pulled away, turned his back, and was swiftly descending down the stairs wordlessly. His coat billowed gently in the warm air, and as the breeze wafted across your cheeks, they burned with rage.

 

“ _Wait just a fucking second!_ ” you howled, ready to storm after him.

 

When he reached the bottom he paused, turning only just enough to see your face. “Mokuba was right about the cherry stem. At least partly.”

 

You were left stunned as his limo pulled away, and it took you a long while before you had enough resolve to go back inside.

 

 _Do not challenge me on something you aren’t willing to prove, because if you do, you_ won’t _like the outcome._


	19. Chapter 19

For the next few work days, Kaiba made it increasingly more difficult for you to avoid him completely, and the amount of discomfort you felt was unparalleled. Neither of you said anything about the incident, but you were still able to make it abundantly clear that it hadn’t been appreciated. Of course he didn’t care.

 

Maybe because he knew you were lying to yourself.

 

Those last few seconds told him otherwise, that you became willing, you’d accepted what was happening, and _participated_.

 

You kissed back and he noticed.

 

But it didn’t matter, you weren’t going to allow it to matter. He was your _boss_ , he had acted unprofessionally, nothing more. The act of proving a point was childish as far as you could tell, but that was only because you didn’t know if he had any other motives. There wouldn’t have been any reason for him to _want_ to kiss you, but at the same time, the whole cherry stem thing didn’t seem like a viable excuse by itself either.

 

He had said, however, that you’d challenged him. And in a way, you had and there wasn’t any denying it. You told him he’d never know whether or not you were a good kisser, so maybe you’d just set yourself up as an ego target. Then again, he said Mokuba had been right.

 

Kaiba thought you were a good kisser. That was Kaiba’s opinion.

 

And frankly, you shouldn’t let Kaiba’s opinion mean anything to you. He was your boss and you worked for him, plain and simple. He just went and made a grey area for the sake of being an asshole, but you wouldn’t let it happen again.

 

Though, you never really had to put much effort into that, it began to seem like a wholly isolated incident fairly quickly, and he went right back to talking down to you and insulting you between his words whenever he got the chance.

 

It started to get tiresome as the week continued to progress, and then took another sudden turn, just like everything else Kaiba related it seemed.

 

You walked over to the desk to set your things down and immediately noticed how empty it looked. The secretary didn’t seem to be around either, and none of her little post-it notes or cool paper weights were there. A stack of papers was set on your side, with a note off to the side reminding you to make coffee before anything else.

 

So you went to the back room and got a pot started, organizing the pile of documents while you waited. By the time you had a piping hot cup ready for your boss, the secretary still hadn’t shown up. _Weird..._

 

You pushed open the office door and shuffled a few feet inside, letting it close quietly behind you. Kaiba was turned around in his chair facing out the window, but his voice still projected far enough for you to make out what he was saying.

 

“Mokuba, you’re being ridiculous!... No, she’s not taking over as my secretary, I already have another job for her... Does it matter? And why are you so persistent?... Oh bullshit. You know you’re a shitty liar, don’t bother... Just tell me... _What!?_ Are you out of your god damned mind!... That doesn’t matter! It didn’t mean anything! _I was proving a point!_... You can’t know that and frankly I don’t want to know either... Even if I never did it wouldn’t have any sort of effect on you... Oh now you’re just whining... If I do will you stop annoying me?... Fine... Just make sure you clean up after yourself before you go to bed this time, you almost got me _killed_ last night.”

 

You could hear him sigh from across the room, and your fingers tightened around his mug as he turned to face you. He looked you up and down once, then turned his attention back to his laptop, absently holding out his hand for his coffee.

 

As you handed over the cup you thought about asking to see if Mokuba was alright, but you didn’t want to give away that you’d been there long enough to know who he had been talking to. So instead you asked something else. “Where’s the secretary?”

 

His eyes flicked up to meet to meet yours briefly. “She’s being replaced, I didn’t appreciate the way she threatened you. The new one should be here by the next hour, when she gets here I want you back in my office.”

 

You nodded once and carefully made your way out of the office, grabbing the stack of papers off the desk. It shouldn’t take you more than half an hour to deliver all of them, provided the elevators weren’t overly crowded. Fortunately you were able to worm your way in on the first try, and you spent forty-five minutes delivering and receiving papers from different departments. You also thought about how great it would be to not have to deal with the bitch you were forced to work with, and you hoped the new girl would be an improvement.

 

Once you’d finished, and had collected one last report from game development, you headed back to the elevators and muscled your way in and ordered someone to press the top floor button. The elevator was empty by the time you reached the top, it always was, but upon entering the small waiting room you were greeting by an eager smile.

 

“Hi there! You must be, uh...” The girl looked down quickly and repeated your name back to you as red started to form on her cheeks. “You’re the one showing me around, right?”

 

She looked okay enough, maybe mid-twenties, still positive about life, seemed pretty friendly, and she dressed appropriately. You nodded once and returned the smile. “So what’s your name? I’d rather not call you Ms. Bitch.”

 

The girl cringed but obviously understood the sly joke. “My name’s Kimika, but Kim is fine, too.”

 

You set the papers back down on your side of the desk and took a minute to help her get her things in order, showed her where to find what she’d need, and what was in the back room. She paid close attention and asked relevant questions about her job rather than Kaiba, so you were grateful that so far she wasn’t like one of those fangirls.

 

“Well, that should last you, I’m needed in the office.” She smiled and thanked you for your help, and you took up the papers and marched back into Kaiba’s office. When you sat down you handed him the few sheets of paper you knew would need his immediate attention, then waited quietly.

 

He looked them over briefly, slid them aside, and dropped another, far smaller, stack in front of you. “Read this and sign it.”

 

 _Oh fuck, what now._ You gingerly slid the papers off the desk and looked them over, you could tell just by the first paragraph on the first page that it was a contract. It only took you about twenty minutes to read through all five pages, and you were simply at a loss for words.

 

The contract was changing your position from just general ‘Assistant’ to the very specific ‘Executive Personal Assistant’, which you weren’t too fond of. Most of the job description omitted things that the secretary would take care of, such as scheduling, call screening, diary logs, and most of the boring shit. _Your_ job description, however, replaced those things with responsibilities that were vague and questionable. You had to attend functions when prompted, but didn’t describe your role, you had to pose as a date when ‘necessary’, though didn’t give many further details, and it generally stated that you were Kaiba’s personal slave.

 

Nope. This would not do.

 

“I’m not signing this.”

 

“Did you look at the pay?”

 

 _No and I don’t care._ You looked, it was more than double what you were making currently. _And now I do care._ “Why are you offering to pay me this much? It’s ungodly.”

 

Kaiba looked up from his laptop and arched a brow. “If you want to discuss a lower salary that can be arranged.”

 

“No I don’t – I mean... Everything in here is so vague, I’m just questioning if I’m going to be asked to do things that are unsavory and that’s why the pay is so high.” You scanned over some of the sentences and internally cringed.

 

He looked as if he was fighting to keep his tone professional, and that meant you were annoying him. “I kept it vague so that I could make adjustments as I saw fit. It’s a situational job, your responsibilities will change depending on more factors than was reasonable to list.”

 

That made sense actually, in order to have this job and still allow Kaiba to be flexible, you’d have to be flexible, since you’d be around him a large portion of the time. And there was also that to consider.

 

Having a desk job just on the other side of his door was enough to drive you crazy some days, you couldn’t possibly imagine acting as his personal assistant and not wanting to tear your hair out even more so. But the pay was far more than you’d make anywhere even with your degree, and suddenly college seemed so very pointless. That made you angry. You’d acquired some debt over the years in order to get a degree to get a better job to earn it all back, and now it was practically being handed to you on a silver platter.

 

Sure, it meant you could pay off your loans quicker, but that seemed like a moot point if Kaiba just became the reason they were pointless. Maybe you could haggle a little.

 

“I’ll sign if you pay off all of the student loans I’ve acquired getting a degree that is now useless to me.”

 

“Fine.”

 

That was too easy, he was too willing. You began to wonder to just what lengths he’d go to to get you to sign it. “And I want my car paid off.”

 

“Deal.”

 

 _Shit it’s not supposed to be this easy._ “And next month’s rent.”

 

“Is that all?”

 

 _Oh come on! I mean I know money’s not an object but... something must be..._ An idea surfaced in your mind, and you felt incredibly clever. Especially since you deserved one anyway. “And I want you to apologize for _using_ me.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

“Because you owe me one. You know what I’m talking about and it was completely uncalled for. Not to mention manipulative and _rude_.” You crossed your arms and met his glare with your own, even though you knew it didn’t faze him in the slightest.

 

He thought it over, his eyes drifting downwards to the cup of coffee you’d brought him, and after a moment he sighed. “Alright, fine. It was wrong and it won’t happen again. Now will you sign it so I can get it sent off? You’re being childish.”

 

Maybe. But you’d just gotten Kaiba to admit that he was wrong. That was definitely worth something.


	20. Chapter 20

You were thankful for the weekend as you arrived home late Friday night, Kaiba had been particularly needy that day, and getting used to your “new” job was taking a surprising amount of energy. Sure, you still expected to run some documents, keep the coffee pot in his office full – since he didn’t trust the new girl with it he simply got his own – and occasionally you still got to bitch at people over the phone.

 

But you’d been instructed to entertain Mokuba when he visited, go out to get Kaiba lunch during _your_ break, and give your opinion on various matters which was usually replied with ‘that’s ridiculous’. Kaiba was becoming very frustrating, and you were glad that you’d never had an interest in him, he’d just rip your heart into pieces and burn them each individually. Before tossing them in the trash with your feelings where they belonged.

 

Despite your stomach’s protests you opted to go straight to bed, and it was the first time in a long time that you slept hard enough to leave indents on your skin where the sheets folded underneath you. Your body felt heavy and ached when you awoke, and you glared at your phone’s little blipping light, thinking it atrocious that anyone had bothered to message you so early in the day.

 

_If you have plans for this evening, reschedule them. We’re going to dinner, wear the blue dress Mokuba picked out for you. – Kaiba_

 

“Fucker!” You threw your phone at the pile of laundry on the floor so that it wouldn’t break in your moment of anger. It wasn’t like you actually had plans that needed to be rescheduled, but it was just the _principle of the thing_. However, the moment you were about to scold him for being far too demanding, you remembered that this was probably one of those events you were obligated to attend as per your new job description.

 

Really the only thing that unnerved you about that was how unprepared you were to deal with corporate meetings over dinner, or at any social even for that matter. Business was not your forte, and you were still certain that the only reason you even worked for Kaiba was because you could supply him with an adequate coffee fix, and probably Mokuba begged. Other than that, you had zero business in the corporate world of gaming, and you couldn’t understand how Kaiba didn’t realize this.

 

But you couldn’t fight and say no, that would be against your contract, so rather whine about it all day, you put your energy to good use. If Kaiba wasn’t going to have time to teach you how to interact with business men, then Google would. Of course, etiquette research sounded boring, so you decided to do something on the side just to amuse yourself. Kaiba had shot your mood far too early in the day.

 

After fixing a quick breakfast you sat down in your kitchen and began trying to find reliable sources, also opening a separated window for a lovely morning chat with Cleverbot. It was a childish way to waste time, but served the purpose of putting a smile on your face.

 

The initial conversation was you proving that you did in fact own a bed, and that you were angry because of a business meeting you had to attend. Looking through etiquette websites bored you, but it was necessary if you were to hold some sort of conversation. Even if you didn’t know much about gaming.

 

At some point you were arguing over how dumb the robot was since he didn’t know about Kaiba Corp., and for a brief moment you felt a little like your boss, you didn’t usually insult people’s intelligence. However, it was a creative and harmless way to vent, so that was more helpful that you’d initially assumed. Eventually, though, you just couldn’t continue reading through dry explanations and examples. It would have to do.

 

Besides, you had things to do and errands to run, since you scarcely had time for your life during the weekdays you took care of your life on the weekends. Things like grocery shopping, and going to bank to get money so your landlady would quit bitching at you a _whole week_ before rent was due. She was a bitch. Cute looking and old, but a real bitch.

 

But eventually you had to stop avoiding the inevitable and made your way slowly back home. You didn’t understand why you had to wear the blue dress, you _had_ other dresses, and they were pretty. That blue one just made you feel even more like an object, especially with that gaudy necklace that was far too beautiful for you to be sporting around.

 

It was nearly seven by the time you got home, and you were a little put off that Kaiba hadn’t given you any sort of timeframe. So of course he began pounding on your door while you were half naked and in the middle of getting dressed. It only took you a moment to slip the dress on and zip it up at least most of the way, and you rushed to the door lest you kept him waiting any longer.

 

“Why aren’t you ready yet?”

 

 _Hello, how are you, how was your day, mine was fine, thank you for asking._ “You didn’t tell me when you were stopping by.”

 

You turned to go back to your bedroom to finish changing, but his hand caught your shoulder and held you back. You felt his hands brush against your back and you stiffened, even as you realized he was just fastening the back of your dress and zipping you up, which, admittedly, you would’ve needed help with anyways. But when he finished you continued into your room and went about trying to recreate the look you had the last time you had dinner with him. Your hair could’ve looked a little nicer, but he’d have to deal with it.

 

When you emerged from your room you found him sitting at your laptop with a frustrated scowl on his face.

 

“Hey, what are you doing!”

 

Kaiba huffed and closed your laptop. “It’s a very childish program, it can’t hold a conversation.”

 

Suddenly the image of Kaiba trying to talk to Cleverbot was hilarious, but you didn’t laugh, not on the outside. “Can we get this over with?” It wasn’t technically a jab at him, so you didn’t feel bad for sounding rude.

 

He rolled his eyes and followed you to the door, but as you reached for your purse you felt his fingertips on you again, ghosting around your neck. The ribbon you’d crudely tired above the necklace came undone, and the feeling of his hands as he retied the bow sent shivers across your shoulders. You closed your eyes and set your jaw as the ribbon was pulled tight and his hands trailed down the tails until he left one hand on the small of your back.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

You quietly seethed as he led you down the stairs and into the parking lot, angry that he was able to somehow instill a sense of nervous suspense. When you looked up you couldn’t find the limo, and he head guided you to a smaller car. “Can you drive?”

 

He glared as he opened the door for you, and scoffed as he shut you in. It was truly bizarre how much of a gentleman he could be as far as mannerisms, but his attitude could still be absolute shit. _It’s like a fucking superpower._

 

There was no point in trying for idle conversation, if he had no interest then he’d just shut you down and keep his mouth shut. So instead you stared down at your shoes, tracing the woven pattern on the sides with your eyes. Absently your hand lifted to brush along the necklace, winding your fingertips in between the opals until they rested against the nose. Eventually your eyes became fixated on the outside world and your mind wandered, trying to answer questions you knew you shouldn’t be asking yourself.

 

How did you get here? Why was Kaiba keeping your around? Was it really because of Mokuba? Weren’t there more qualified women for this job that he could simply pay for their time? What were his real expectations of you? And why did he make you so damn nervous?

 

You were in the middle of your musings by the time he pulled into the drive of the restaurant, and your door was open before you had enough sense to figure out where you were. You stepped out of the car, shuffled awkwardly around the valet that you hadn’t expected, and instinctively took Kaiba’s arm as he offered it.

 

Honestly you never visited this part of town very often, you didn’t have the money so there wasn’t any point. Which meant that you were entirely clueless about the lavish building you were being led into, and the name gave you no indication since you didn’t recognize it. But it wasn’t surprising, Kaiba and his type of people practically infested this area of Domino, not yours.

 

When you walked through the door the sheer amount of expense that the walls seemed to radiate nearly floored you, and the air surrounding everyone made you feel tiny and unworthy of their stares. You couldn’t help but feel appreciative for the way Kaiba’s glare could strike fear into the hearts of anyone who even looked at him the wrong way.

 

You were too caught up to pay attention when he checked reservations, and happily followed him through and _away_ from everyone. You’d seen them whispering, you knew they were talking about you.

 

Suddenly you were next to an empty table and Kaiba was waiting impatiently for you to sit down. You held your skirt and let him go through the motions, but something felt a little... _off_. When he sat down and sent the waiter off to fetch wine, you looked at him. “Where is everyone?”

 

He seemed annoyed with your question, he probably assumed that the answer was obvious. “What are you talking about?”

 

 _What the fuck do you mean what am I talking about!_ “Isn’t this a business dinner?”

 

“No.”

 

 _I... what. This is... what the fuck._ “Then what the hell is it?”

 

“This is a date.”


	21. Chapter 21

Your shock and disbelief would’ve lasted longer, but his transparency was painfully obvious and you could only be irritated. As your eyes narrowed you leaned back in your chair and crossed your arms, glaring him down – or attempting to – across the table. “Seriously? You let your little brother talk you into going on pointless “dates” with people you don’t like?”

 

He seemed surprised by your accusation, and when it showed on his face you couldn’t help but feel pleased. Though, it was quickly replaced with boredom and your victory was short-lived. “Why do you think Mokuba would put me up to this?”

 

 _Oh wasn’t it obvious?_ “Because I know that no universe exists in which I am _worthy_ enough to be seen on a date with the mighty _Seto Kaiba_. Did he bribe you?”

 

He rolled his eyes and kept quiet as the waiter returned to pour your wine, but he left quickly and you wondered if he was uncomfortable. “No, he didn’t bribe me. You’re being ridiculous.”

 

You scoffed lightly under your breath. “Well then why don’t you tell me why we’re both sitting here?”

 

“I don’t owe you answers, you’re wasting your time asking.”

 

You were sure that if Mokuba really wasn’t the reason he was here, then he’d be shoving the _real_ reason in your face. And since he wasn’t, it gave you good enough reason to think that it really was all Mokuba’s fault Kaiba had bothered. But there wasn’t any point in getting him to admit it, so you were just stuck dealing with the situation.

 

“How’s the new secretary?”

 

You looked at him from over the rim of your glass, and wondered what had prompted the attempt at small talk. “She seems fine, much easier to get along with and learns fast enough. I still have to show her how file certain things, but other than that she’s been doing all right.”

 

He nodded, pleased with himself. “Make sure to get that cleared up as soon as possible, I’ll need you with me for most of next week.”

 

“Don’t you need me all the time?”

 

“Not out of your office, I don’t.”

 

“I’d hardly call it an office.”

 

“Either way, there’s a business meeting next Wednesday, then we’ll leave on Friday for a convention in Osaka. Just let Mokuba know if you need anything.”

 

Again, you were a little overwhelmed with the situation. Next week there was a _real_ business meeting, and then he wanted you to attend some convention with him over the weekend. _There goes my life for the next week, thanks a lot Kaiba._ Before you were able to get anything coherent out of your mouth, the waiter had returned, written something down for you both, and left. You didn’t protest, you knew that trying to read anything on the menu or otherwise would’ve been a useless waste of time, this place was too expensive to make anything easy.

 

For the next little while Kaiba outlined the plans and schedules for the weekend, and just thinking about what you were getting involved in was exhausting. You had to get up at five in the morning to make the 8am private jet out of Domino, and after you got to the hotel you’d have the day to yourself to prepare for _another_ dinner that night. And then Saturday you’d spend the day with Kaiba at some uppity tech con where he could make a gaming pitch and finalize funding and stock deals. It sounded like the most boring kind of fun.

 

He didn’t really say anything about Sunday, and only gave a few detail for the Wednesday meeting, so you decided to put most of your focus on the weekend, you’d need Mokuba if you wanted to stand any sort of chance at _not_ embarrassing your boss. You didn’t really want to be fired, even if he was a dick.

 

Thankfully you were pleasantly surprised with dinner and enjoyed every tiny bite, and tried pushing your luck to ask for dessert. Surprisingly, Kaiba seemed more than willing to take you up on your offer. The waiter came back with a bowl of overly fancy fried ice cream and set it between the two of you.

 

Kaiba plucked the cherry out of the whipped cream, giving you a pointed smirk before putting the whole thing in his mouth.

 

It was laughable, really. “Oh _please_ , have you ever even tried to do that before?”

 

He remained quiet so you ignored his childish nature and dug into the ice cream, getting about four spoonfuls in your mouth before he smirked again. Obviously he’d done _something_. “Don’t tell me you actually did it.”

 

With the corners of his mouth turned up into a near smile, he pulled out the cherry stem, which boasted two knots rather than just one. “It wasn’t _that_ hard.”

 

This was it. This proved that Kaiba really was the most conceited man you’d ever met. He went out of his way to just make it so he could boast about being able to do something better than you. And you would’ve called him out on it if it weren’t for the way your face began to flush. You shoved the spoon back in your mouth and glared out the window. He was such a child.

 

He helped you finish the rest of dessert and sent his card off with the waiter when he came back, and you settled for keeping your attention elsewhere. Like on the people sitting around you and staring in your direction until they got caught. It was almost like a game, to see how long you could glare at people and keep their eyes off you before you moved on to the next table.

 

“Stop making people uncomfortable.”

 

“Oh come on,” you protested. “They’re making _me_ uncomfortable.”

 

He sighed and stood up, offering his arm to lead you out. “Of course they are, but you’re supposed to ignore them, don’t let them think they’re getting under your skin. If you can’t deal with people staring at you, then these meetings are going to be _hell_ for you.”

 

He was right, of course. And you’d need to really learn how to brush off your discomfort if you were to survive being around people who were going to be appalled that you were even around Kaiba. That was all right though, you’ve dealt with worse just working in the café, surely you could deal with a few creepy old rich guys and their brainless girlfriends.


	22. Chapter 22

There was another flurry of paparazzi waiting outside the restaurant, which dampened your mood greatly. But Kaiba was able to keep you covered and your head low so that no one got pictures of your face, and this time you were prepared for the noise and disorienting flashes.

 

You threw yourself into the car with a huff, waiting as Kaiba slid into the driver’s seat. “I don’t suppose you can just run all these assholes over, can you?”

 

He smirked, and you thought maybe you’d amused him, or at least the thoughts in his head were amusing. But he didn’t respond, and unfortunately pulled out onto the street without causing anyone injury. The ride back to your apartment was mostly silent, but you were perfectly content to listen to the subtle roar of the car as it sped over the asphalt. It was soothing, and you might have fallen asleep given enough time.

 

But sadly, there was a pushing sensation on your shoulder as Kaiba roused you from your dreary slumber. You were home.

 

“Do you need me to walk you up to your door?”

 

 _Why is he being so damn polite. I am perfectly capable of-_ “If you try kissing me again, I’ll kick you in the balls so hard you’ll cry.” He didn’t move as you attempted to crawl out of the car, at least not until you nearly found yourself face first in the grass.

 

He pulled you upright and carefully walked you up the flight of stairs. “If two glasses of wine is enough to kick you in the ass, then you’re already screwed for business meetings.”

 

You scoffed and dug out your keys. “I can have water if it’ll make you feel better.”

 

“They’ll know you’re a lightweight.”

 

“Well I don’t care.”

 

“I do.”

 

You pushed open your door and kicked your heels off to the side. “Why should you?” He only offered ‘you wouldn’t understand’ as a response, and you simply stared at him with half-lidded, tired eyes. “If it bothers you so much, find another date.” You weren’t sure if you’d meant it as a suggestion or a joke, but somehow you immediately regretted it. No poor girl deserved to deal with his bull as his date. Probably.

 

“You signed a contract.”

 

“Well then you’re stuck with me.”

 

All you heard was a sly groan before you shut the door, effectively tuning him out. You pulled your clothing off and left a trail as you made for your bed, dumping the jewelry on the nightstand before burrowing under the comforter. Maybe tomorrow you’d hang out with Mokuba to appease the damage Kaiba had wrought, and to drill him about your date.

 

* * *

 

 

“What? No! Of course not, that’s ridiculous.”

 

You were not amused by his blatant lie, Kaiba was right, Mokuba was a shitty liar. But you didn’t want to cause a scene in the little tea house, so bitching him out wasn’t going to work. “Okay then, Mr. Innocence, if it wasn’t your idea then why did he take me on a date?”

 

Mokuba shrugged, twisting his spoon around the clumps of sugar floating in his tea. “Maybe he likes you?”

 

“That’s almost insulting. Try again.”

 

“What if he wants to get to know you?”

 

“He didn’t have to take me on a date to do that.”

 

You knew how to wear down Mokuba, it wasn’t particularly difficult, but you always felt a little guilty when he got that look of pitiful defeat in his eyes. “Look, I just want to know that I’m not being used. Because that’s not okay.”

 

Mokuba shook his head and sighed dramatically. “I don’t think he’s using you, but I didn’t really put him up to it either. It was a dumb suggestion, a joke really. I was mostly trying to poke fun at him, so I wasn’t serious.”

 

That sounded more believable, but that still didn’t answer your question as to why Kaiba had taken you for dinner. “Well would he have any reason _to_ use me? I don’t know that I have anything to give him, really.”

 

Again, Mokuba shrugged, taking a sip of his tea. “That I really can’t answer, and I probably couldn’t find out if he doesn’t want me to know.”

 

This whole thing was frustrating, you felt like you were being played like some tiny pawn in a game full of sharks. And all you could do was sit and wait. Watch for someone to fuck up enough to tell. It was irritating. But you were stuck. Kaiba didn’t want to talk and Mokuba was clueless.

 

Eventually you did start to feel bad, so you ceased your pestering and made him an offer you knew he couldn’t refuse. “So I’ve got a lot of torture ahead of me, wanna help me shop for clothes?”

 

Of course, “help” meant you outright telling him you hated whatever he brought you, but otherwise you smiled, nodded, and went along with playing follower. Usually he was pretty good at finding things you accepted, but you were wary of him. You were still getting over the whole ‘I’m going to dress you up to look like my brother’s favorite playing card’ thing.

 

Shopping lasted well into the evening, but he was comfortable with his choices, confident that you had plenty to wear and wouldn’t have to use anything twice. Afterwards he helped get everything back to your apartment and made a list outlining what to wear and when. That was going to save your ass, and you found yourself latching onto him tightly.

 

“What am I gonna do without you? Can’t I just drag you along? I need you to come with me,” you whined, pouting as he laughed.

 

“You’ll be fine, I wrote down _instructions_. Besides, if you really need me, you can call me. As long as it’s not after ten~”

 

You squinted your eyes. “What happens after ten?”

 

The sly grin he gave you threw your mind into the gutter, and you shoved him playfully. “Ew! Careful where you stick that thing, you might need it later.”

 

He laughed again. “I know, don’t worry. I got the talk already.”

 

“From who?”

 

“Who do you think?”

 

“Oh _god_.”

 

Mokuba sniggered. “Yeah, it was bad. He wasn’t very gentle.”

 

You shuddered. “Is it within his physical limits to be gentle?”

 

“I don’t know, but tell me when you find out~”

 

As much of a child as Mokuba could be, you were really thankful that he was around, and that he enjoyed spending time with you. He didn’t judge you or anyone else based on his brother’s opinion, he was always polite, and went out of his way to help if he knew he could. All things considered, you had to give Kaiba credit, he made an _excellent_ father.


	23. Chapter 23

Monday and Tuesday went by far too quickly for your liking, which was your own fault since you spent more time dreading the weekend than being productive. But you still managed to finish _officially_ training the new secretary, and she was prepared enough to get her through a few days without either you or Kaiba. That was really all he was worried about anyways, and appeasing him was always the top priority, so you gave yourself a pat on the back.

 

Of course, Wednesday came and it was nearly time for Kaiba to pick you up from your apartment. Part of you had wished that he’d have driven you back to the mansion so that Mokuba could check you over, but you supposed this was Kaiba’s way of testing you to see how well you could manage on your own. It was a fair test, and one you didn’t plan on botching.

 

Your nerves rolled over your stomach, but you were smart and hadn’t eaten, so you couldn’t throw up _and_ you’d be hungry enough to eat dinner, provided you didn’t clam up completely. That was going to be the real test, keeping your cool around a hoard of businessmen that spoke a language you didn’t consider yourself versed in.

 

But this was also a personal test, you wanted to prove to yourself that you could rise to Kaiba’s expectations and fill in your position well enough to at least fool everyone else. If you nailed dinner tonight, you’d be golden for the weekend.

 

You hoped.

 

A loud, yet polite, knocking sounded on your door, and you hurried to gather your things and collect your thoughts. When you opened the door, you greeted your boss eloquently. “Good evening, Mr. Kaiba.”

 

His neutral gaze hardened slightly as he looked you over, tilting your chin up with a swift hand before stepping back and looking displeased. “You look better in blue. But I suppose this is what I get for letting Mokuba dress you. Come on.”

 

 _Well god damn, Kaiba._ There didn’t seem to be any use in practicing your professional air on him, he saw through you anyway. “What? You don’t like red?” You thought this one looked far better on you than the one Kaiba was so fond of. “I can go put on the other one if you don’t mind waiting.” You were joking, of course.

 

“No, that’s for my eyes only.”

 

The comment struck you oddly, and you weren’t quite sure what to make of it, but it mostly sounded creepy coming out of his mouth. Of course, you were sure there was some sort of Kaiba-logic in there somewhere and that it most certainly was _not_ a possessive compliment. Though, finding out wasn’t worth the trouble.

 

It had just turned dark as the limo pulled up to what you were sure to be the most expensive hotel on the more lavish side of Domino, and you figured that when Kaiba said ‘business dinner’ he really meant ‘formal event with _maybe_ hors d'oeuvres’. Suddenly you were really hungry.

 

When he helped you out and pulled you to your feet, you noticed immediately that his hand snaked around your waist, he wasn’t offering his arm like he usually did, he was making a statement. There were always subtle differences in a man’s mannerisms that gave certain things away, and right now he was either being possessively protective, or he was showing you off.

 

Neither of which seemed to suit Kaiba.

 

But you didn’t complain, and you weren’t about to lie to yourself and pretend you didn’t like it at least a _little_. The most sought after man in Japan was parading you around as his date, and damn if it didn’t make you feel like your looks could kill. It was a little exhilarating.

 

Kaiba led you into the hotel, past and around mobs of people – who insisted on talking out loud rather than whispering – and into the main ballroom on the first floor. The inside was elegant, neat but not boring, and whoever paid for the dinner spared no expense. You could also tell by the amount of waiters and waitresses there were running around that there actually was a real dinner, and that lifted your spirits quite a bit.

 

“Kaiba! I thought you’d turn down the invite!”

 

You looked up to find someone approaching; he looked only a few years older than Kaiba, was dressed just as nicely, and sported a sly grin as he set eyes on you.

 

“Hinotama,” Kaiba greeted, not bothering with a ‘Mr.’

 

Though it didn’t seem to faze him, and he looked at you curiously. “I’ve never seen you with a lady, who is she?”

 

“My assistant.”

 

_I thought I was your fucking date! What the hell, asshole?_

 

Mr. Hinotama grew wide-eyed for a moment, then lowered his voice. “You’re fucking your assistant?”

 

You clenched your jaw shut, but Kaiba shot back with enough disgust for both of you.

 

“No, you _idiot_. She’s my date, not a hooker.”

 

From then on you decided to completely disregard comments from other businessmen, only tuning in for the formalities. You kept this up until you were finally led over to a round table for five, next to the ‘stage’. While you let Kaiba take care of the wine and dinner, you surveyed the crowd, curious to note that the only women you saw – which were few and far between – were either somewhere in their fifties or they were around your age. But they were all dressed just as expensively as you were, so as far as looks went you fit right in.

 

There was one other woman sitting at the table with you, and she appeared to belong to Mr. Hinotama. She looked like she was either exactly your age or only a year off, her face was smooth and she was made up to look like a doll. Her loose brown curls flowed nicely over her bare shoulders, and she looked lovely aside from the pertinent scowl she aimed at the table.

 

But as soon as you sat down she perked up, though stayed quiet, and seemed to observe you for a long while. You tried not to pay attention to her, if you could get away with not having to talk to anyone but Kaiba you’d chalk it up as a successful dinner. However, just allowing that thought to cross your mind should’ve signaled the red flag that you’d already jinxed yourself.

 

“So who are you supposed to be?”

 

You looked up from your wine glass and stared at her. “I’m sorry?”

 

Surprisingly, no one else seemed to notice either of you. “Mr. Kaiba never has dates, how much is he paying you?”

 

Technically speaking you were on the job and discussing your salary as his _assistant_ wasn’t something you were really allowed to do. But you figured she had just assumed that you were a hooker. Maybe that’s what she was and why Mr. Hinotama had asked. “Why? Are you assuming I’m a hooker, too?”

 

Truthfully you thought she’d be a little offended, but she only laughed. “No, of course not! Besides, we don’t call them hookers, that name is for people who prostitute themselves on the streets and we’re _far_ too expensive for that. I think the term you’re looking for is _escort_. I wonder why I’ve never seen him with one before. What’s it like?”

 

 _Oh no. No no no. Absolutely not._ Actually, as far as definitions go, escorts are paid for their time rather than specifically sexual favors. However, you were no stranger to the stereotypes that escorts have made for themselves, so generally, nowadays people just thought of escorts as high class prostitutes. In an offhand sort of way, you _were_ Kaiba’s escort, he was paying you to be his date. However, you did not fit the generally accepted guidelines of the job – which people assumed to include companionship, romance, but mostly sex – so you did not consider yourself such.

 

“No, I’m not an escort either. I’m just his date.”

 

She didn’t seem wholly satisfied with your answer, but it was not part of your job description to please her, so it didn’t bother you. For the next few minutes she left you alone, and you were thankful when a waiter brought around dinner. Steak would offer you enough distraction to ignore everyone, especially since you’d have to take extra care in demonstrating your manners.

 

Unfortunately that didn’t keep the others from trying to get in a word with you. But somehow Kaiba always managed to steer the conversation in a completely different direction to get their focus back on him, and for that alone you were beyond grateful. He might be an asshole, but he was still considerate. Of course, he was probably just trying to assure that you wouldn’t be given an opportunity to embarrass him.

 

“I really am curious though, where did you meet this young lady?”

 

You didn’t know who’d asked, but the question sent you back to the times where you worked in your café, back when you were just getting to know Mokuba and when Kaiba glared at you every chance he got. Especially after the time you smeared pink frosting all over his trench coat. That was _hilarious_.

 

“Oh come now, I want to hear _her_ side of the story. If she’s your date she _must_ be interesting!”

 

 _Shit_. Well you hadn’t been paying attention to what Kaiba had told them, so you’d probably just do better to say something witty in an attempt to make them laugh. “If by interesting you mean ‘smart enough to figure out that Seto Kaiba _eats_ his coffee’, then yes, I suppose I am.”

 

They all laughed, but he just looked confused, which was directed at you. “What does that even _mean_?”

 

You snickered. “You’ll find out the next time I just give you a cup full of coffee grinds and you _don’t_ notice.”

 

He glowered for a moment, but the uproar of laughter from the other men dissipated his annoyance. “I told you there’s no such thing as too strong when it comes to coffee, so I hope you can find something stronger than that.”

 

Now he was joking, and the table was red faced and wheezing. It was great. “I can just import you some raw Brazillian coffee beans and put them in a bowl on your desk.”

 

“She’s absolutely charming! You _must_ have her with you this weekend!” The others began insisting that you attend the convention, which you were already, but they seemed eager to see you again and you couldn’t help but feel proud of yourself.

 

The rest of dinner was a breeze, even though you didn’t end up participating very much seeing as they were all discussing business. But you were content to eat in silence and just listen to Kaiba talk, somehow getting lost in the flow of his voice as he articulated his words even as his explanations went over your head. Even after you’d caught yourself you didn’t bother with chastising, because at this point you were enjoying yourself, and if that was because of Kaiba then so be it.

 

It surely wasn’t going to last anyways.


	24. Chapter 24

By the time Thursday was said and done you were frantically throwing yourself around the house demanding where the hell the time had gone. You quadruple checked your suitcase just for your phone charger, then another three times to go over the list of clothes that Mokuba had written down for you. It took you over two hours before you were finally satisfied that everything that you needed was right where it should be, but even then you knew it was going to be a restless night.

 

In order to give yourself an optimum amount of time to sleep in you showered before you went to bed, also hoping that that’d get you to sleep quicker. Unfortunately you tossed and turned for another hour before finally dozing off, and then your dreams continuously disturbed you throughout the night. It also didn’t help they were half-way lucid and generally involved Kaiba.

 

When you woke you were mostly pissed off, cursing his name as he invaded the privacy of your own mind when he wasn’t wanted. So of course they would leave you hot and bothered, which just soured your mood further. But it was 4:30am, and you had barely enough time to shove something in your mouth – _dammit brain! I meant food!_ – and get yourself dressed and out the door in time for the limo to pull up.

 

You were waiting at the bottom of the stairs with your bags sitting next to your feet when the limo stopped. Being half asleep, you hardly noticed the driver pack up your things or that Kaiba ended up having to get out in order to rush you into the car because he was in a hurry. It didn’t matter though, as soon as you sat down you were blissfully unconscious.

 

This time you woke of your own accord. The limo was still moving, but you were unfamiliar with your location, and Kaiba was talking quietly on the phone so you couldn’t ask. You contemplated going back to sleep, but you came to realize that you were huddled against him and his fingers were absently running through your hair.

 

 _Hold the fuck up._ When you were confident that he couldn’t see your face, you scowled, then attempted to glare at his hand, silently demanding what business it had doing such things. Logically, you could’ve summed it up to some absentminded habit that Kaiba had, but even if it was you couldn’t imagine that he hadn’t noticed he was doing it, so at this point it had to have been voluntary.

 

And then you heard your name get thrown into the conversation, so you quickly went back to pretending to be asleep. You could feel him turn his head to look at you before he continued, and you could faintly hear Mokuba’s voice on the other end.

 

“ _You know it’ll just be easier that way. Besides, I thought you wanted to anyways._ ”

 

Evidently you’d come in far too late in the conversation to understand what purpose you had in their discussion. But you continued to listen anyways, wondering if you’d be able to make sense of at least _something_.

 

Kaiba hummed to himself before responding. “I do, but she seems disinterested.”

 

“ _Oh come on, you know that when it comes to this kind of stuff you’re terrible at reading people._ ”

 

“Maybe, but I doubt you’ve noticed anything to suggest otherwise?”

 

Mokuba was quiet for a short moment, and you hoped that you’d still be able to hear him. “ _Well I can’t just outright ask her, and you can’t either. Why don’t you just try something to see what happens?_ ”

 

You felt Kaiba’s chest clench as he scoffed. “I tried that, and she threatened me.”

 

“ _That’s because you were an ass about it._ ”

 

He sighed, deep and drawn out, making your head rise and fall. “Can’t you just tell me how this works?”

 

“ _Yeah, sure. Stop being so impatient._ ”

 

“Mokuba-“

 

“ _No, I’m serious. That’s your issue. It’s not believable, just confusing. You’ve gotta convince her,_ show _her. Otherwise she won’t bite._ ”

 

“Your advice is terrible.”

 

“ _Tell me that after you try it and it works._ ”

 

Their conversation was over, and you’d gotten nothing out of it. When it came to Kaiba there were multiple things you were disinterested in, things you didn’t like, and things you mockingly threatened him about. Eventually you just assumed that it had something to do with your job, since business was the only thing Kaiba ever talked about, and once you went over it a few times it made sense.

 

You never did end up moving off of Kaiba, you were comfortable and he wasn’t moving to push you off, so if you got use him as a pillow then great, bonus points if it annoyed him. Though, his hand hadn’t ever stopped moving, and that would’ve been worth pondering if you weren’t still so damn tired...

 

“Get up, we’re here.”

 

Kaiba was gently shaking you awake, and this time you knew you actually needed to get up. You pushed yourself up and away from him, blearily looking around. When you saw the planes your interest quickly did an override on your exhaustion, and you became eager to get out and simply look.

 

It was still early yet, only barely seven, and no one else was on the tarmac. The limo had pulled up next to a hanger that sat a little bit off to the side and mostly by itself, and somehow you wondered why you had _ever_ thought that Kaiba would be caught dead on 737. The thought was laughable.

 

Kaiba stood around on the phone while the driver carted your luggage into the hanger through a side door, and you sat around listening to Kaiba bitch at someone for a good ten minutes before he hung up. He didn’t offer idle conversation, but you were just as happy to stand around and gaze at the jets that were out and ready to fly, though seemingly unoccupied.

 

“Sir, your pilot is ready.” The driver stuck his head out through the door, turned back inside, and then left to take the limo back to the mansion. Or wherever.

 

Kaiba stayed put, so you followed suit, giddy as the hanger door slid open to reveal a glossy Learjet 35. It was pretty standard, even for Kaiba, you figured he’d have something a little more outlandish simply because he was –

 

“Oh my god what the fuck is that.”

 

Just on the other side of the hanger – there were two doors – sat another jet, almost hiding behind the Learjet casually. Actually, it didn’t look anything like a jet, the only tipoffs were the engines under the wings, but other than that it looked like a giant mechanical _dragon_.

 

“Is that a fucking Blue-Eyes jet.” You tried so damn hard not to laugh, even when he groaned and began to walk into the hanger. “Kaiba you are literal nerd trash that’s amazing.”

 

He turned his head to glare, but you were _sure_ he was entirely embarrassed, his cheeks seemed a little colored. “Shut the _fuck_ up and don’t say another _god damn_ word.”

 

You pressed your lips together, but continued to fight off your laughter. You couldn’t help it, it was _comical_. The biggest, baddest, most intimidating CEO on planet Earth was a huge enough _nerd_ to own a jet that looked like he favorite fucking trading card. _Holy shit that was hilarious_. Before you missed your opportunity you swiped a picture on your phone, then hurried off to catch up, following your nerd boss into the classier plane.

 

Generally Learjets had a few regular chairs, but this was _all_ lounging comfort with full couches, a TV, breakfast sitting on a table, and pillows galore. You immediately gravitated to the couch, threw yourself on it, and sunk into the cushions. You could definitely stand to put up with Kaiba’s shit if it meant sleeping on something more comfortable than your own bed.

 

“That’s my spot.”

 

Too tired to even cuss him out in your head, you sat up and scowled at nothing in particular. The other couches were more like short loveseats, not big enough to sprawl on, but now Kaiba was taking up valuable head space. Dick.

 

Oh well, there were other ways to entertain yourself until you landed. “How long’s the flight?”

 

“An hour and a half.”

 

Well if you weren’t going to be able to sleep you might as well jump out the damn window. You didn’t have anything with you, asking to watch TV was pointless – he was already working on his dumb laptop – and you were still tired.

 

That just meant you’d have to make the most of things, and eventually decided to just curl up and get as comfortable as possible. You even found a blanket to bury yourself under and a pillow to drool on, how lovely. That should do it...

 

There was no way to tell how long you’d been asleep for, but the sun was brighter, the cabin lit up with a nice glow, and you were somehow stretched out comfortably.

 

Kaiba was playing with your hair again.

 

 _Dude what the actual fuck..._ This time he could see your face, so you tried to feign ignorance, stealthily rolling your head to the side to see if he’d stop. But he didn’t. _This is weird why is he doing this._ It always annoyed you when you thought you understood Kaiba and then he went and fucked up everything and left you confused and pissed off because you had zero explanation for his actions.

 

However, it felt _really_ nice, so you didn’t exactly want to get up. But there was also still breakfast on the table and you were starving. _Decisions decisions..._ You opted for food.

 

Kaiba’s hand immediately pulled away and when you looked up he was ignoring you, which is exactly what you’d expected. So you rolled over, pushed yourself up, and yawned into the blanket before trudging over to sit at the table.

 

“ _Sir, we’ll be landing in about ten minutes._ ”

 

Oh goodie, you wondered if the hotel room would be just as nice as the plane was. The answer to that was probably obvious.


	25. Chapter 25

The answer was a resounding yes. The hotel room was in fact just as nice as the plane. In fact, it was far beyond the definition of a room, or a suite for that matter. There was a full kitchen and living room, a master bedroom with a lavish bath, and a second room with an almost lavish bath. Among other things the suite took up the entire top floor, and you had to swipe your room key _in_ the elevator in order to get in.

 

You went straight to the bedroom, nearly tripped over your suitcase as you were not expecting it to be in the middle of the floor, and went to snuggle into the bed. It was wretched. Of course motels have tendencies to skimp out on nice mattresses, but you were hoping that a five star suite would be a little more generous. You were probably better off sleeping on the couch.

 

Unpacking your things and hanging your garments in the closet was mostly something you did to waste time, there was hardly any point to it seeing as you’d be packing up all over again the next day or day after at the latest. But Kaiba was working and had demanded quiet, so you obliged by keeping to yourself. Besides, you had your own TV and an extra-long bubble bath sounded like a damn good idea.

 

Somehow you were still left with two hours before dinner and all you had to do was slip into your dress and put on your heels. You needed something to do. So you sauntered out into the living room where Kaiba sat on the couch, idly typing on his computer, and sat down quietly, tucking your knees under your chin.

 

Watching him work was usually boring, not that it was something you even had the opportunity to indulge in very often. But as of late you’d been able to find enjoyment in picking out his working habits and mannerisms. Like how whenever he finished an e-mail he always ran his fingers through his hair as he began to reread it, or he’d fiddle with the locket around his neck whenever he’d scowl or begin to look distressed. You were never sure if he noticed, because if he did he’d never said anything.

 

You weren’t really sure what he was doing, there was never any real way to tell, but he didn’t seem very pleased. “You need me to call somebody and ruin their day?” In all honesty you were being serious, it wasn’t uncommon for Kaiba to get frustrated with someone and have you tell them off so he could keep his professional dignity.

 

But rather than take you seriously he smirked instead, obviously amused by the idea. “No, I’m sure you’ve got better things to do right now. Why aren’t you dressed?”

 

Leave it to Kaiba to ruin the fun. “Because there’s no point in sitting around here in a gaudy ball gown for two hours. Besides, I couldn’t reach the zipper anyways and you seemed too busy to be bothered with it.”

 

He stopped what he was doing and turned slightly to look at you. “And you talking isn’t somehow bothering me?”

 

You couldn’t tell if he was being an ass or not. He probably was though. “Sorry, Mr. Kaiba.” Generally if you thought that you’d irritated him you automatically switched into full business mode, and while it was proper it could also be a very useful passive aggressive tool to hint that he was being a dick. And he knew it, too, which made it effective somehow. Apparently he occasionally cared.

 

As you moved to leave him alone, he quickly retaliated. “Wait, I wasn’t being serious.”

 

You were so good at this. But it sort of made you feel bad, because you both knew you were trying to manipulate him a little, and it bothered you that he allowed it. Somewhere along the line he had decided to pick you out and give you odd special privileges, things like getting away with empty threats, petty insults, passive aggressive comments, and little hints of false affection. Of course you were his PA, and you most certainly acted like it, but for whatever reason he didn’t mind things that would almost certainly get _anyone_ else fired.

 

But rather than argue or point it out you just allowed it to slide, accepting that being in his good graces had a lot to do with Mokuba. That made you feel a little shitty though, you didn’t want the fact that you were close to his younger brother to be the reason he let you get away with things. It was like you were using Mokuba as a shield, and that wasn’t fair because it wasn’t in any way intentional. However, there was fuck all you could do about it. Other than ignore it.

 

The two of you sat in silence for another few minutes before the overwhelming urge to have a conversation took over your mouth. “So is this dinner going to be anything like Wednesday? Because I think I nailed that one.”

 

Kaiba flicked his stare over to you once before answering. “No, there’ll only be four of us, it’s for a business deal that I need to finalize before the presentation tomorrow. I’d appreciate it if you weren’t quite so... _personable_ this time.”

 

“Hey, I tried to stay out of it but he kept asking. What do you want me to do, stare at them and feign deaf?”

 

He shook his head. “I’m not worried about you talking to Komura, I can handle him. Just don’t talk to his date.”

 

That was a bizarre request. “Why not?”

 

“Because she’s only with him because I turned down her proposal. She’ll be a royal bitch and I don’t want you to cause a scene,” he explained, scowling as his mouth worked around saying ‘proposal’.

 

That was funny. This girl had sent him a proposal to be his escort, which you weren’t even sure if that’s how they did business, but he turned her down – no surprise there – and you’d get the opportunity to silently rub it in her face. Kiaba didn’t want you to make a scene, he should give you more credit than that. But that was easy enough to prove.

 

* * *

 

 

The limo ride was full of conversation for once, a first for the two of you. Kaiba freely explained his dealings with Komura, who he was and what Kaiba wanted from him – which was mostly funding and programming students from his college. Your questions were pretty basic, you didn’t know anything about programming, but being able to participate at all gave your confidence a nice little boost. You felt like you sounded intelligent, and Kaiba hadn’t offhandedly insulted you thus far, so you were obviously doing _something_ right.

 

You routinely exited the limo when it stopped, took Kaiba’s arm, and quietly followed him into the restaurant. This one wasn’t a fancy foreign place, it was a hibachi and sushi bar, but a _really_ fuckin’ nice hibachi and sushi bar. At least you could hold your own here, and you wondered if you had Kaiba to thank for picking somewhere where you could actually read the menu for once. That would’ve been considerate of him.

 

He lead you to a small private hibachi table, one that was not suited for large or multiple parties, and that figured. There was already a couple taking up residence in two of the four seats, but the chef hadn’t shown up yet.

 

Formalities were swift and impersonal, and you nodded when appropriate but kept your mouth shut as you sat down on the end. The table was set up in such a way that you had a clearer view of the girl than you did of Komura, and she certainly wasted no time in taking advantage of that.

 

You allowed Kaiba to pick out the wine, but ordered your own sushi. To occupy yourself – and to ignore the woman glaring you down – you tediously rubbed your chopsticks together to smooth out the wood, keeping your eyes pointedly down. Thankfully the waiter arrived before you ran out of things to do with yourself, and you happily went about prepping individual sushi pieces.

 

Somewhere between Komura cracking a joke and you biting your tongue at Kaiba’s attempt at genuine laughter, the chef showed up and started on the fried rice without bothering with theatrics. With the boys engaged in conversation – which meant ignoring both of you entirely – and the sour faced prude frowning at her phone, you made sure to discretely set aside a small chunk of wasabi before your plate was removed. It might come in handy later.

 

Rice was served with a few mixed vegetables, and after making a sizeable dent the two opted for excusing themselves while they waited for the rest of the main course. This left you alone with resting bitch face.

 

Kaiba rose to leave with Komura, but before he turned to walk away he leaned in close and said quietly, “If you can’t keep your mouth shut just kill her with kindness, I won’t be gone long.”

 

 _Kill her with kindness. Ha._ You watched the two of them leave, exiting through the side doors out onto a patio where you could barely make them out through the glass. As you went back to daintily picking at your rice, the inevitable finally came to pass.

 

“I’ve never seen your face before, how did you manage to get Kaiba to agree to your proposal?”

 

The way her words were spat through her devilishly red lips made it clear she was disgusted by you, and that suited you perfectly fine. You took in the way her dress showed entirely too much cleavage and turned that against her.

 

“Mr. Kaiba prefers classy, _reserved_ women.” There was no reason for her to know that you weren’t his escort, if she was under the false assumption that the two of you were fucking that would just piss her off more. Which was exactly what you wanted. If anyone was going to make a scene it was going to be her.

 

She scoffed and crossed her arms, making her chest contort and threaten to spill. “Then why is he wasting his time with trash like you? You look cheap as fuck, I hope you know that.”

 

Wow, sore loser. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

 

The chef chanced a glance at you when she pursed her lips and when back to her phone, making a face in her direction which brought a smile to your lips. Of course, you didn’t intend on letting her off the hook so easily, and happened to notice that her phone was dangerously close to falling onto the floor. How unfortunate.

 

You made to stand up and readjust the way you were sitting on your skirt, bumped the table to knock her phone off, then gave a fake apology. When she glowered and leaned over to pick her phone up, you stealthily reached over with the soy sauce in your hand and poured it lavishly into her red wine. By the time she sat back up you had gone back to nibbling on your rice.

 

The chef smiled at you while she wasn’t looking, and you winked triumphantly, anxious for her to take another sip. Her glass remained untouched until the others rejoined you, Kaiba leaning over as he sat back down.

 

“Please tell me nothing happened,” he said, his voice low and even.

 

It was hard to keep a straight face, but you shook your head and bit your lip as you saw the girl reach for her wine. “Just watch.”

 

Her reaction was delayed, which made the whole thing far more amusing, but the way her nose scrunched and her lips puckered made you cover your mouth with your hand. She whined and fanned at her mouth as she shook her head furiously, demanding that Komura fetch her a new bottle of wine while she left for the bathroom.

 

Kaiba turned to you and he looked unimpressed. “What the _hell_ did you do?”

 

You bowed your head and let your shoulders bounce with your giggles, shaking your head and willing away the tears. After a few seconds you righted yourself and gave him a response, “I put soy sauce in her wine.”

 

He looked genuinely shocked, but the look lasted only a moment before he replaced it with severe irritation. “ _Why!_ ” he spat, his voice straining to stay quiet.

 

Before you could open your mouth to respond the chef answered his question for you. “Served her right, her mouth was filthy and her words unkind.”

 

Kaiba still looked at you for clarification, which you happily provided. “She cussed at me and said I looked like cheap trash,” you replied, sounding as prissily offended as possible.

 

Even though Kaiba might have still been put off he dropped the subject and remained neutral, easily engaging in conversation when the other two returned.

 

Somehow, you felt that the night still wasn’t quite over.


	26. Chapter 26

Most of the rest of dinner consisted of business jargon you weren’t willing to pay enough attention to to decipher, and holding back a smile every time you caught the woman across form you snarling in your direction. She was so pissed off, and it only served to heighten your smug attitude, which you felt was well deserved. If a bitch can’t take then a bitch can’t dish. Rules are rules, and you may have been socially above the standard bitch, but that didn’t mean you had to refrain from owning them like one.

 

Unfortunately she gave you scarce opportunity or reason, so you had to remain polite and dignified, something you excelled at where she failed miserably. You noticed the glances Komura stole every once in a while, and he usually seemed displeased with her foul expression, which was constantly trained on you.

 

Dinner finished without so much as a word out of either of your mouths, but you put one last bit of hope into dessert. It would be such a shame if your leftover wasabi didn’t get put to good use.

 

When the waiter returned with two bowls of anmitsu you couldn’t have been more pleased, the ice cream was even tinged green. Kaiba was willing to share with you, but Komura politely refused and allowed his date to have the bowl to herself. _Even better~_

 

You kept a close eye on the men, making sure that their routine of paying little to no attention to you kept going. As long as Miss Priss didn’t notice, you were golden, and she was periodically distracted with her phone. All you really had to worry about was being discrete and making sure it wasn’t obvious.

 

Originally you wanted to wait until she insulted you again, but she wouldn’t open her mouth as long as the other two were present, and you supposed that her continuous glare was enough. So you waited for an opportunity, nestled the chunk of wasabi onto the end of a chopstick and swiftly planted it into her bowl where she couldn’t see it.

 

Now all you had to do was play the waiting game again, and hope that she wouldn’t somehow get too full too soon. In the meantime you opted to take small bites and listen to Kaiba’s voice, realizing that your earlier thought of his voice being awful was only out of spite, but you weren’t quite ready to admit to his sultry voice out loud. That’d inflate his ego.

 

You might not have been able to understand the details of what was going on, but it certainly sounded as though Kaiba was trying to close whatever deal he dragged you here to make. This was important for him, so of course the woman across from you started coughing and whining at Komura. Oops.

 

She stood, her hand covering her mouth as she squoze her eyes shut, tears rolling down her cheeks. Komura tried to get her to calm down, but this time, she would have none of it.

 

“Don’t tell me to be quiet!” she demanded in between coughs. “That... that wretched _bitch_ has been doing this all night!”

 

You remained quiet and kept your face neutral, fighting away the smile.

 

“Don’t look at me like that! You just – No Komura, let me talk! – I bet you’re the one who touched my wine, weren’t you?” At this point everyone within earshot was staring at her as she frantically cried and tried to evade Komura.

 

Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea.

 

Kaiba, however, seemed unfazed, and promptly called over the waiter for the bill. “Komura, you obviously seem to have your hands full,” he said, handing over his card. “Why don’t we just settle this so you can take your... _date_ home? She seems upset.”

 

“Upset? I am _not_ upset, _Mr._ Kaiba! I am furious!” she screeched, beginning to fight with the other.

 

Komura growled something at her, then took the pen Kaiba had offered him. “Alright, fine. But I expect you to hold onto your end of deal, got it?”

 

Kaiba slid over a contract you hadn’t been aware he had. “It wouldn’t be business if I didn’t.”

 

The girl was escorted out of the restaurant along with Komura by the time Kaiba was given back his card. He rose steadily, offered his arm, and guided you back out to the limo that was parked out front, waiting quietly. When the two of you were inside and away from prying eyes, Kaiba scowled hotly.

 

“You’re lucky that worked in my favor. Next time, just keep to _yourself._ ”

 

So maybe you’d pissed him off a little, big whoop, he got pissy over a dropped hat. Or he would if he wore one. Though, if he did you hardly thought he’d ever be clumsy enough to drop it. He was too aware of everything, you were honestly surprised he hadn’t caught on earlier and told you to stop. Then again, you very well may have continued.

 

Either way, you were in the sanctity of familiar company, thus you promptly removed your shoes and stretched your arches. There were definitely blisters, not ugly, yet, but tomorrow would be absolute hell as far as your feet were concerned. However, you had the rest of the night to soak and pamper yourself.

 

Hell, you even made use of one of the bath bombs you found lying around, and some bath salts just for texture. Kaiba was a dick _most_ of the time, but being his PA had its perks, like utilizing all the little extra expenses that hotels used as a gimmick to rack up your bill. Maybe you’d find a bottle of Fiji water and open it in front of him just to see if he’d say anything.

 

Of course it was nearly ten at night as he was sitting at a desk with his nose in his laptop. You sauntered over with a fancy water bottle and your fluffy white bathrobe tied around your waist. “I don’t suppose you plan on sleeping at all tonight?” He didn’t look up at you, and for a moment you didn’t think he’d respond.

 

“Maybe. If I ever finish revising my presentation. Which won’t get done if you keep distracting me.”

 

You scrunched your face slightly, and tapped the bottle in your palm before turning on your heel. “Okay... _Mr_. Kaiba.” This time you didn’t say with any varying amount of passive aggression, it was mostly a joke. Maybe he’d feel better in the morning anyhow.

 

That would make at least one of you.


	27. Chapter 27

The convention was set to open the doors at 9am, Kaiba wanted to be there by no later than ten, so you had to be ready to go out the door by 9:30. Which meant you had to roll your sorry ass out of your shitty bed at eight. But it didn’t deserve to be called a bed, it was more like a piece of plywood that someone had covered with scrap carpet and lined with an egg carton. It _sucked_.

 

So you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, it had been entirely too hot for you to sleep comfortably, you needed _another_ shower, and your feet were already ridiculously sore. Getting through the day was going to be like getting yelled at by Kaiba all over again. And that memory still made you feel a little sick every time you thought about it.

 

Kaiba was up and dressed and primed and you had just trudged out in your nightgown how fucking _embarrassing_. Whatever, you were hungry, and you weren’t about to risk spilling anything on whatever dress Mokuba had so graciously packed for you. Kaiba would just have to deal with looking at you fresh out of bed.

 

“I hope you won’t be looking that disheveled when we leave,” he commented, looking up from his phone as he perched on a barstool in the kitchen.

 

His expression was neutral, he may or may not have been joking. Either way, you just threw a hot iron at him for good measure. One never could be too careful.

 

“You know, I have the means to make this whole thing go to shit real quick, and don’t think for one damn second I won’t and blame it on PMS because believe me, I will.” You gave him a warning glower as you fished out a box of generically branded cereal and fixed yourself a meager breakfast.

 

Kaiba opened his mouth to say something, his expression hard and full of authority. But he paused, as if pondering something, and then closed his mouth and nodded like he was accepting what you had threatened to be fact.

 

 _That was weird._ But you hardly cared, he could be weird all he wanted to, you just had to muscle through a day’s worth of chronic pain as your uterus spasmed and threw a bitch fit and holy _shit that really hurts wow you needed to sit down before you fell over Jesus Christ._ You hunched over your bowl and ground your teeth together, your knuckles turning white as you waited out the brief pain.

 

You almost prayed that Kaiba would live to see the next day because God forbid _he_ threw a bitch fit about something and you gave him a _real_ reason to cry.

 

However, as the morning progressed you grew increasingly more worried about yourself than whatever torture you could inflict on your boss. The cramps might have subsided for the moment – however, that was only an indication that they’d be returning later – but you were starting to become emotional.

 

It began during your shower, everything just came bubbling up all at once and you were suddenly so overwhelmed with ‘how the fuck did I end up here’ that you nearly started crying. The whole thing just seemed so stupid to you, how in the holy living hell did you start as a self-appointed manager in a dinky little coffee shop and wind up being an executive personal assistant to the most powerful man in the country? _What the fuck._ And on top of that, he was a massive shithead and you were _still_ developing weird feelings for him?

 

Hold up. You were what now? _Oh God..._ It was true though, you were, slight as they may be, they were still there. You weren’t exactly head-over-heels in love with him, oh _hell_ no. But somehow he’d grown on you, and sometimes you felt an urgent need to just wrap him up in your arms and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

 

Even though everything most certainly was _not_ going to be okay because when had the water gotten so cold? Shit, how long had you been in there? You couldn’t even remember if you’d actually washed... _Dammit._

 

You shut the water off and skidded out of the shower, flung a towel around your shoulders, rubbed your legs past dry and almost raw, and then bounded down the hall into your bedroom to fish out your dress.

 

This one was... formal, yet showy. It was an oddly captivating shade of gray, with black lace backing detail and a black petticoat underneath which resembled a short ruffled tutu more than anything else. Around your waist Mokuba had instructed you to wear a blue studded crystal belt, and the shoes he sent with you were also blue. And so were the hair pins. _That little fuck,_ you thought to yourself, but of course it was generally affectionate.

 

By the time you’d fought into your dress and all outlined accessories you were left staring in the mirror three minutes before your insisted time of departure. But somehow you couldn’t tear your eyes off of your reflection. It wasn’t that you were captivated, not positively anyways, you just couldn’t help but hear the girl’s words from last night in your head, like an awful chant.

 

Had she been right? Maybe you really did look like cheap trash and no one had had the heart to say anything to you. Perhaps they just kept their mouths shut because they knew you were with Kaiba. Then again, you were certain he’d have said something, so why hadn’t he? Honestly you didn’t care, you couldn’t be bothered to think of much else.

 

Other than the simple fact that you simply didn’t feel as though you deserved to wear such pretty things, or follow Kaiba around like a pretty decoration, or stay in lavish hotels, or... or anything. You didn’t deserve any of that, you were just a little girl, barely an adult or even old enough to drink, that had run a modest café to pay bills and stay on your landlady’s good side. It wasn’t like you knew anything about the business world anyways, because you didn’t, and you were probably dragging Kaiba down more than helping.

 

How awful of you. Instead of refusing his offer like you should have – you really didn’t have any right to take it – you put yourself in a position to make him look bad and to distract him. You weren’t helpful at all, you were a hindrance and Mokuba had probably begged his older brother to take pity on you. No, you were nothing but selfish and dumb and useless and a distraction and not pretty and –

 

“What the hell is taking you so long? We were supposed to leave five minutes ago!”

 

You were startled out of your self-loathing and jerked away from the door. You were wasting his time. But before you could shuffle over to the door he simply opened it himself and met you with a scowl already set deep on his face.

 

“Why are you crying?”

 

The question was by no means gentle, but it startled you even further because you hadn’t even realized you _were_ crying. But it wasn’t like it could’ve possibly lowered his opinion of you further...

 

You whined and looked up at him as if to plead for forgiveness, then looked back pathetically at the mirror. How small and sad you suddenly felt. You still didn’t look any prettier either. “I don’t... I can’t go,” you said quickly, fidgeting with your hands. “But that’s okay, because – you don’t need me anyways.”

 

Kaiba only stared in shock, squinting at you as if he were trying to look beyond your watery eyes to dig up what you weren’t telling him. “Look, I don’t know _what_ you’re dealing with, but I don’t have time for it, and neither do you. So suck it up so we can get a move on.”

 

 _Why was he still bringing you along it didn’t make sense._ “But you don’t like it when I talk to people and I don’t know anything about business and I don’t even know why you need me –“ and you just couldn’t get the words to _stop_.

 

Thankfully he held up his hands and you knew better than to disobey them. For a moment he looked as if he were going to yell at you – which you thought he very well should have – but again, reconsidered and thought over something before groaning under his breath ‘ _dammit Mokuba_ ’. He lowered his hands and tucked them at his sides. “Okay listen, you’re obviously dealing with some _woman_ thing, frankly I don’t want to know. But we’ve got somewhere to be and I don’t know where the hell you got the idea that you could just back out and not show. But that’s not going to happen, and this would go a lot smoother if you put aside whatever _this_ is –“ he motioned to most of you “and put on that professional front that you seem to pull off better than most businessmen. When we get back you’re free to wallow in your tears. But right now, we need to _go_.”

 

Somehow you decided that he was right, that listening to him would be the easiest, and swallowed your grief. You might have stopped crying and dried your face, but you still looked heartbreakingly pitiful and couldn’t feel much other than guilt. You realized that the self-loathing was hormone induced, but the guilt was because Kaiba had to deal with it for the rest of the day and the next, and for that, you felt bad.

 

But as soon as you stepped into the elevator you mustered up your persona, and used it as a shield the second someone stepped into the elevator. Now you had an obligation to act the part, to make sure Kaiba looked no less than _perfect_ , and somehow you helped with that because he offhandedly said so. For now that’d be good enough for you.

 

All you had to do was smile, be polite, and act like the ignorant bauble you were posing to be.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I'm really proud of the dialogue for this chapter. I think I nailed Kaiba.

Rather than try to maneuver a stretch limo through the crowded streets of Osaka during a late rush hour, Kaiba opted to drive himself, and naturally had a car waiting for him in the parking garage. As you got in a thought about reckless driving crossed your mind, mainly due to how much later the two of you were than Kaiba wanted to be.

 

He wasn’t a bad driver, he really wasn’t. But he certainly acted as though the rules of the road didn’t apply to him, which made riding in the car with him a little bit nerve wracking. But complaining would get you nowhere, so you kept to yourself and watched the city go by as the sun continued to rise.

 

There was a spot in the front parking lot – reserved for invited guests – of the convention center, which loomed and looked like a cascading ripple of poised arches. The sun shone off the windows and tinted them with gold, making you squint and look away. Somehow you _really_ didn’t want to go in.

 

But Kaiba had a hand on your lower back and was guiding you purposefully in through the front doors, you could finally open your eyes again.

 

The setup was standard you guessed, there was a front hall for check-ins, which was where you were headed, and wide flights of stairs on either side. In the middle were three sets of double doors leading into what you could only guess to be a massive space for God only knew. Probably where the vendors room would be if the place ever hosted an Anime or Comic Convention.

 

You laughed. An _Anime_ convention in Japan. That shit would be _off the damn hook. Party too hard. Turn up. Eat Rave Repeat._ It was truly a staggering thought.

 

Having been caught up in your musings, you missed the brief moment of wait time as Kaiba went to check you in, and promptly handed you a fancy metal name tag with a magnet. It even said ‘EPA – Kaiba Corp.” on it under your name. What a neat perk.

 

As you marveled and meticulously situated your nametag on the collar of your dress you happily followed Kaiba upstairs. There was a long breezeway walled off on both sides by glass, one side gave a view of the city, the other a view of the festivities going on down below.

 

It was massive, actually, far larger than you’d expected it to be. People milled about, made conversation, molded and rearranged groups, and broke away to do other things. And there was _plenty_ to do. Tables were set up in a large U-shape around three edges of the room, and along the last wall was a long stage framed by a stark white wall. You guessed that’s where Kaiba would be giving his presentation.

 

After having a moment to marvel Kaiba ushered you along towards the second set of stairs that led into the main room you had been ogling at. He didn’t get another two steps from where he was standing before a small group of men approached, sneers adorning their prudish faces.

 

“Oi, look at what we’ve got ‘ere!” The blonde at the front of the group didn’t look much older than Kaiba, but you could tell that his suit wasn’t nearly as expensive. You immediately classed him as low-class wannabe. “If it isn’t Kaiba ‘imself. You look a wee bit lost, can’t find Mummy and Daddy?”

 

The others around him sniggered. Kaiba’s face remained neutral.

 

“Haha, oh that’s right, I forgot. You haven’t _got_ any!” He smirked with triumph.

 

Kaiba’s eyes now conveyed murder.

 

“Aw, you gonna cry, wee lad? Your eyes seem a tad red~”

 

You’d had enough.

 

It wasn’t necessarily a smart decision, but bullying of any kind was absolutely not tolerable, even if it was directed to your less than savory boss. You stepped between them and Kaiba, balling your hands into fists. “Hey, why don’t you step the fuck down and leave him the hell alone.”

 

Maybe Kaiba growled behind you, but you were focused more intently on the wide grin spreading on the face of the blond in front of you. He seemed too god damn full of himself, which was saying something considering you spent far too much time around Kaiba.

 

He slid his hands into his pockets and lightly shook his head, clucking with disappointment. “Kaiba, you really should keep your _escort_ in line, she’s –“

 

“ _I am not his escort_!” you spat, almost snarling as your petal colored lips curled.

 

The man only laughed, he obviously wasn’t intimidated by you. “Well then, if you’re free I’d be willing to pay~” His smirk disgusted you.

 

But you only scoffed, amused at his assumption of being able to simply _buy_ you. No one could buy you. “You couldn’t fucking _afford_ me.”

 

Here his smile fell and he narrowed his eyes threateningly. “What the _fuck_ did you jus’ say? You lit’le _cunt._ ”

 

Honestly you just wanted to fuckin’ throw yourself at him, bite and claw and punch until he bled enough for you _both_. But Kaiba quickly restrained you and forced you behind him, effectively halting your attack.

 

Then he was taking control. “You can insult me all you like, if it’ll make you feel better about how insignificant you are compared to me. But my _assistant_ is off limits, and even though you obviously lack the intelligence required to treat a woman properly, I think you’ll be able to comprehend the simple fact that if you open your mouth in my presence again, I will personally see to it that you won’t ever be able to reproduce, because dear _god_ the world does not need to sustain the burden of your unfortunate offspring.”

 

You were quite taken aback by his pure eloquence, and smiled devilishly at the group of stunned men as Kaiba lead you around them and down the stairs. Even though you’d been suspended from the confrontation you still felt victorious, and for a short, _sweet_ , moment Kaiba was a _joy_ to be around. Again, it was short.

 

Now that the two of you were in the throng of people you made a point to all but hang off his arm. If you got separated from him then it was _all_ over. You were sure it’d result in an emotionally driven mental breakdown and you’d end up in a heap on the floor with mascara and eyeliner running down your face. Nope, you’d stick to Kaiba like _glue_.

 

That ended up being a brilliant idea, because it kept you from having to socialize with other people on your own. You didn’t know how to talk business, not _real_ business – because coffee business most certainly did not count – so you only chimed in when asked a direct question, and you could refer to Kaiba if you had no means of understanding. Sure, you thought it made you look uneducated, but in comparison to the other baubles in the room, you weren’t exactly worried.

 

As noon rolled around you were starting to really feel the pain in your feet, and you frantically searched for a place to sit down. Unfortunately the only empty chairs were along an unused portion of wall on the _other_ side of the room, and you weren’t about to risk getting caught up in the crowd just trying to find a damn seat.

 

You tugged gently on his jacket sleeve as he left a conversation and he turned his blank stare down at your own. “I found a place to sit down but the crowd might eat me.” For a moment you didn’t think he’d caught on, but after a few seconds he sighed with slight irritation and made sure you had your phone before leading you across the room.

 

“I’m not going to sit here with you, so don’t go anywhere until I come back.” He turned and left.

 

Sitting down was suddenly a luxury, and you reveled in it very much. Of course, you couldn’t take off your shoes, that would be impolite, but just letting them relax was plenty. Your eyes wandered the crowd of single young men, middle-aged men with varying degrees of women, and older men with either women old enough to be their wives or young enough to be their granddaughters, which you knew they weren’t.

 

Personally, most business people disgusted you, especially those that carted around escorts and paraded them as if they were trophies. Most businessmen, particularly the wealthier ones, seemed to use a disturbing amount of their fortune for sex, and that bothered you. It was a trait that Kaiba lacked, and suddenly you found him far classier than any of the wretched swine stealing glances at women besides the ones attached to their hips. And it had seemed that you caught the eye of one.

 

He sauntered over with an easy pace, hands in his pockets, long black hair pulled into a ponytail, and a curious grin tugging at his lips. He didn’t dress in a jacket and tie like almost every other man, he instead favored a vest with a bowtie. It seemed to suit him oddly well.

 

“I really hate to sound so forward, but how _did_ you get to know Kaiba?” he asked, eyes bright and full of innocent wonder. He must’ve been impressed.

 

You smiled and thought it over. “I accidentally found out he likes shitty coffee,” you replied, noting the small die that dangled from one ear. How peculiar.

 

He nodded and took a seat next to you, clasping his hands together and leaning on his knees. “I always did take him for a coffee guy, but not _shitty_ coffee.”

 

“Shitty as in so strong it’s probably dangerous for most other people to consume.”

 

“ _That_ makes a _lot_ more sense. Name’s Duke Devlin,” he held out his hand.

 

With a polite shake you offered your own name in response, and the two of you managed to hold a nearly forty minute conversation before Kaiba returned to retrieve you. He didn’t look very pleasant.

 

“Somehow I’m surprised to see you here, _Devlin_.” The inflection and tone Kaiba used to pronounce his named reminded you of someone trying to talk while gagging.

 

Duke rolled his eyes and stood, slipping his hands back into his pockets. “Jesus, Kaiba, you’re _still_ mad about the whole Pegasus thing? Get over yourself, man. That was _ages_ ago.”

 

Kaiba grunted before he formulated a response. “You wanted to put me out of business and you’re still trying to even though you know it won’t work. I hope you realize that’s the definition of insane.”

 

You looked on with interest.

 

“Oh please, you’ve got more money that national debt of America, I’m just playing off of your popularity. If people ever stopped playing Duel Monsters we’ll both be out of jobs and you know it.”

 

“You might be, but my company has expanded past just one card game, _I’ll_ be fine.”

 

“Really? Even if you still haven’t managed to acquire the title ‘King of Games’?”

 

“ _Watch your mouth, Devlin._ ”

 

“I’m sorry, I just thought the whole thing was laughable. I think you set a new standard for the term ‘bitch fit’.”

 

“I was _sixteen._ ”

 

“You blew up a whole god damn island!”

 

 _Wow._  What a turn of events.


	29. Chapter 29

Duke had offered to take you to lunch, giving Kaiba the pitch that it’d give him more personal time to interact with other company CEOs about his new project. That sounded like a grand idea to you, Duke was an actual gentleman, but Kaiba would have absolutely none of it. You’d even tried to argue that Duke was right and insist that you didn’t mind. Kaiba still said no.

 

Eventually Duke was called away for a business meeting, and when he was gone Kaiba piped right back up.

 

“I would advise _against_ hanging around Devlin, he might as well have a playboy penthouse with all the women he takes home with him. Trust me, you aren’t anything special.”

 

You looked up, astonished at the flippant insult he probably didn’t even realize he’d vocalized. Your shoulders dropped slightly and you felt as though you looked like a kicked puppy.

 

Kaiba immediately corrected himself. “Not to Devlin, at least.”

 

It didn’t do much to brighten your mood, and that was only because you’d had to give him a pitiful look before he even realized he’d been far beyond rude. You took that to mean that he’d only retaliated because you’d looked offended, not because he really wanted to.

 

For the next little while you _really_ would have rather been with Duke, at least he would’ve acted like a gentleman. Kaiba just continued to make a point that he was simply using you as per your job description. Maybe it was just your hormones talking, but that stabbed a lot deeper that it probably would have any other day. You decided to give yourself a minute to feel guilty before straightening your shoulders again, you didn’t have time to wallow is self-misery. Not yet.

 

Even though Kaiba had turned away Duke – or rather, chased away – he still had every intention of taking you to lunch. Now you figured that maybe he was just jealous. That sounded pretty accurate.

 

He led you out of the convention hall and actually walked you a block down the street, stopping in front of a quaint little café. Truthfully you were conflicted on whether or not you should feel surprised or if it wasn’t really surprising at all.

 

After all, he did _meet_ you in a café, so if you twisted it just the right way, it was almost romantic. Maybe he’d driven off Duke so that he could have a quiet cup of coffee with you alone, and you thought about maybe forgiving him for insulting you earlier. However, you could also see lunch turning into an awful fiasco, because you were sure that whatever coffee he was brought would _not_ be strong enough.

 

But you didn’t fight him, mostly just the urge to pout. Somehow your emotions were swaying between extremes, but you were just glad that you hadn’t started feeling sexually frustrated yet. If that acted up you’d surely make yourself look a complete fool in front of Kaiba. You shuddered.

 

The two of you took a seat by a window in the corner, Kaiba sat where he could look out over the rest of café. All you could see was him. That was fine, you were content to look out the window and watch the people walk by. Suddenly Sara Bareilles’ song ‘King of Anything’ started playing in your head.

 

Kaiba opted for black coffee, you asked for a small pot of tea with extra sugar. He sat on his phone while the two of you waited for the waiter to return. Even as you stirred sugar into your tea you continued to ignore him and watch through the window.

 

_‘Keep drinking coffee, stare me down across the table while I look outside’_

 

You looked up to see if he was in fact staring at you, but he was not.

 

_‘So many things I’d say if only I were able, but I just keep quiet and count the cars that pass by’_

 

It was true, there were a _lot_ of things you wanted to say to Kaiba. You wanted to tell him that he was a pompous asshole, that he had no respect for anyone but himself – and you wondered how much he actually had for Mokuba – and that maybe if he would allow you into his world then maybe you could help him. You got to 47 cars before Kaiba finally said anything.

 

“This coffee is pitiful.”

 

_‘You’ve got opinions man, we’re all entitled to ‘em. But I never asked’_

 

The irony was sad, really. Of course the rest of the song was about the listener not needing to be saved by some self-appointed knight in shining armor, which didn’t apply to your case. But it did still capture Kaiba’s self-righteous attitude, and whether or not he was the actual King of Games, he still acted as though he had a crown on his head.

 

“Then maybe you should’ve gotten something other than coffee. You knew it wasn’t going to be strong enough.”

 

It might have been a little out of line, but it was the truth, and you were still a little passive aggressive sometimes. Especially when you were on your period.

 

He sighed, setting his cup of coffee down on the wooden table. “Is this still part of your... _issue_?”

 

“It’s not an issue, it’s a curse.”

 

You could almost hear him biting his tongue. But he didn’t berate you for using the term ‘curse’ or call you ridiculous for believing in them. Instead he came off with something quite the opposite.

 

“Is there... anything I can do to make it a little less hellish?”

 

If you didn’t know him so well you’d have been genuinely surprised. “Don’t ask simply because my mood is wasting your time and you’re irritated with me.”

 

Kaiba’s face flushed a little and he looked almost offended. But the way he scowled and looked quickly away told you that you’d been right. He hadn’t been asking to be nice.

 

However, that didn’t mean you couldn’t take advantage of his offer. “But since you asked anyways, I would very much appreciate being treated as a date rather than like some prize for you to flaunt around.”

 

He crossed his arms and leaned back a little in his chair, staring blankly at you. “Why are you being so difficult?”

 

“Why are you being such an asshole?”

 

“I’m not –“

 

You immediately looked offended, and was surprised at how well that shut him up. “You can’t honestly be ignorant to your own behavior. You _insulted_ me earlier, in case you forgot. You never have anything nice to say about me or anyone else. I practically bend over backwards for you just so I can get a paycheck. And have you _ever_ heard yourself talk?”

 

For a moment Kaiba was quiet as he continued to gaze in your direction, but he wasn’t really looking at you, you hoped he was seriously considering your words. “Technically I didn’t insult you.”

 

He was such a god damn child, a four-year-old playing adult without any kind of supervision. You wondered if he’d ever truly grown up. “I hope you realize that you’re damn lucky I haven’t quit yet.”

 

“You can’t terminate the contract, only I can do that.”

 

“Oh trust me, I can _make_ you want to end it.”

 

Kaiba seemed to consider you for a moment, as if he believed what you said was true. But he made no further comments and ignored you in favor of his mediocre cup of coffee. You didn’t push that conversation any further either, anything else you had left to say was not appropriate for a café.

 

“Why did we come here anyway? I expected some other fancy restaurant fit to break the bank.” You sipped pointedly at your tea, leveling your eyes with his.

 

He didn’t answer right away, but did give you the courtesy of looking at you rather than through the window. “I thought you’d appreciate not having to deal with formalities for a while, and I’m starting to get bored of hearing about how young I am.”

 

That you could appreciate, it was starting to get tiresome having to listen to him explain it. “That’s fair, but it still didn’t answer my question, and if you don’t I’m going to go ahead and assume it was some subconscious effort to be romantic.”

 

He nearly choked on his coffee. “I don’t do romantic. _Ever_.”

 

It really wasn’t worth the effort, because if you had been wrong he’d have given you the real reason, which he didn’t. He just stated that you were wrong, indicating that you probably were not. That was alright though, even if he wasn’t being romantic you’d much rather be in a little café than some foreign prison of manners.

 

The rest of lunch was quiet and awkward.


	30. Chapter 30

You were hardly excited to return to the convention center and wanted to do something other than stating your name and lying about how wonderful Mr. Kaiba was. It wasn’t too much of a stretch to assume Kaiba felt the same way, and opted for a new strategy.

 

When you had first surveyed the room from the breezeway you had noted the U-shape of tables around the room, but you hadn’t actually visited any of them yet. It was pretty safe to assume that they were for card or dice games, and you were willing to bet that watching a game of Duel Monsters would be far more entertaining than listening to crotchety businessmen boast about their meager wealth.

 

As the two of you reentered the main event room you immediately turned to Kaiba. “I don’t supposed we could actually _watch_ a few games, could we? I’m tired of listening to people talking about them, I want to _see_ them.”

 

You must’ve taken Kaiba a little bit by surprise, he almost stuttered. “I suppose...”

 

“What are they playing, anyways?”

 

He quickly regained his business air. “Mostly Duel Monsters, but I’m willing to bet Devlin was able to buy a few.”

 

“For the dice game?”

 

He nodded, and led you around the crowd and towards one of the various doors lining the massive room.

 

You hadn’t been totally aware of them to be honest, but you knew what they were. There were signs posted outside each other doors, outlining whatever ‘meeting’ was going on inside, and most of them had been about card games. The one Kaiba led you to seemed much more exciting.

 

‘DM Duel Disk Room – Down Stairs   _PASS REQUIRED_ ’

 

 _Oooh, pass required, huh? That sounds more my speed._ You followed closely behind him through the double doors that opened to a short flight of stairs. Once you reached the end a large room opened up in front of you, and it was _full_ of people, with a range of age groups.

 

There were also giant monsters everywhere.

 

“ _Oh my God what hell are those things_!” You really didn’t mean to cling to Kaiba so fiercely, but holy shit they were enormous compared to most of the people.

 

Kaiba gently nudged you away, explaining as he walked. “They’re just holograms, none of them are dangerous.”

 

You still kept a close pace with him, eyeing the duels as you passed by competitors. Every single one looked up and simply gawked. “Why are they all staring at you like that –“

 

“Mr. Kaiba! Mr. Kaiba, sir!”

 

The two of you stopped walking and Kaiba politely addressed the boy who had so enthusiastically called out to him. He couldn’t have been any older than maybe fifteen.

 

“I don’t suppose you’re here to duel, are you?” His eyes were bright and hopeful, but he smartly kept the smile internal rather than displaying it all over his face.

 

Kaiba _fucking grinned._ “Why, are you challenging me?”

 

You darted your eyes between the two of them, baffled at how pleasant the exchange was going. This kid was fucking magic.

 

“W-well,” he stammered, suddenly nervous. “I mean I guess, i-if you don’t mind that is!”

 

Kaiba mocked a thoughtful sigh and the shifting of his weight. “I dunno, kid. I don’t just duel anybody.”

 

For a split second you thought the whole thing was over, but the kid quickly retaliated. “I’ve been playing Duel Monsters since I was seven, and I’ve won two convention tournaments. I’ve also watched all of your battle city duels _countless_ times and I just... Well I tried making a deck specifically to duel against yours. I was hoping I’d finally get to try it out.”

 

It was small, almost undetectable, but you were that there had been a smile on Kaiba’s face, at least for a _second_.

 

“Well since you went through all the trouble why don’t we see what you can do?” Kaiba motioned for the kid to follow on the other side of him, and he approached a slightly older man standing idly behind a counter.

 

The two of them talked quickly, and both of them seemed far too excited, _especially_ Kaiba. Of course, it was small and fleeting, but that fact that he seemed giddy at all was impressive. But you kept a close eye on him, the both of them, and continued to follow until a clear spot was _made_. People were literally backing out of the way in order to make room to watch Kaiba duel.

 

You stood off to the side, curious to see if he had only been nice in order to lure in a child he intended on crushing in defeat. Now _that_ sounded a little more like Kaiba’s style, but you weren’t ruling out the possibility of being surprised either. Besides, you hadn’t seen a duel in a long time, Kaiba was sure to be a treat to watch.

 

And a treat he _was_.

 

You were perfectly aware that he’d been undefeated since some vague memory of a kid with ridiculous hair, so he had every right to be boastful and eccentric. That said, he was also a _grown ass man_ , 22 and in charge of Kaiba Corp. So the moment he opened his mouth, you felt yourself internally convulsing with the need to laugh.

 

“Come forth, my rarest of monsters! _Blue-Eyes White Dragon_!”

 

You sucked in your lips and bit them between your teeth as they quivered. _Oh my God is he fucking posing. Kaiba you are a literal child! And what fuck... How are you bending your fingers like that? Stop it, Jesus Christ, you look so unprofessional... Oh no, no, no... Please just stop talking you are laughable right now._

 

The duel lasted a fair bit longer than you had thought it might, but the kid was _damn_ good, and nearly had Kaiba beat. Of course, the almost undefeated Champion had something up his sleeve, so he practically pulled a victory out of his ass at the last moment. When the two of them were done you had to step away to let yourself just laugh and get it out of your system.

 

Kaiba found you just as you’d nearly finished with your giggling. “What’s so funny?”

 

Should you say it? Should you tell him? Maybe he already knew? “ _You_!” This prompted another wheezing laugh.

 

If he was scowling at you, you couldn’t see it. But you could hear him just fine. “And what, exactly, are you referring to?”

 

Oh now you had to. It wasn’t like it was hard to mimic, you’d done it all the time behind his back when he was being a dick, and in front of your mirror at home after a particularly stressful day. So you reared up, put on your best Kaiba face, and did a practiced impression of him. “Now, Blue-Eyes White – pfftt – Dragon! Whi – hahhhaaaha – White lighting ata – _I fucking can’t hhaahaha_!”

 

He did _not_ look amused. “What’s your point?”

 

You waited for the cackling to subside. “You sound like a _child_! Kaiba, you are a _grown man_ , and you’re fucking _posing_! It’s hilarious!”

 

Kaiba huffed and pulled you up. “Yeah, well now _you’re_ being childish. Stop making a scene.”

 

For the next two hours he took willing opponents and dueled just as ridiculously as before. Even the other eccentric duelists couldn’t hold a finger to Kaiba’s showmanship, which was beyond the point of being simply over boisterous. But if anything, he did attract quite the crowd, and you’d been approached by a handful of people as they spouted praise for him.

 

“Wow, isn’t he amazing!” “Look at that Blue-Eyes, I wish I had one!” “He’s just as good as he was in Battle City!” “One day, I bet I’ll be that good!”

 

And then...

 

“Hey, I didn’t know Kaiba had a girlfriend.”

 

You looked down at the little boy standing next to you, he was holding his older sister’s hand quite viciously, but he looked up at you with the sweetest little grin. “O-oh, no no, I’m not –“

 

“I always knew he’d marry someone as pretty as a princess!”

 

 _Ow my heart._ Well you couldn’t just tell him no, you and Kaiba certainly were _not_ getting married, and that you two weren’t even dating. The poor kid looked like he was only ten, and you could tell by the Blue-Eyes shirt he had on he was a huge Kaiba fan. It was so sweet how innocent he was, how he had no idea that his idol was a whopping douche nugget.

 

You couldn’t do anything but smile to yourself, even as his sister apologized for him. Shaking your head you waved her off, telling her that he was right, and that Kaiba probably would end up with a princess.

 

You know, just not _you_.


	31. Chapter 31

For most of the rest of the day you were caught between emotions, and chalked it up to the fact that your period was just having extra fun at your expense because Kaiba was around. On the one hand, the compliment still made you smile and giggle on the inside, but on the other, you felt foolish for even mildly entertaining the idea that you and Kaiba would be anything other than co-workers, and that was a painfully equal title.

 

Aside from the fact that you couldn’t even hardly feel your feet anymore, your back was killing you, your legs were sore, your shoulders burned, and you just wanted to lay down. But you had to strain to keep your posture in line, and that was taking a lot more effort than you really had to spare.

 

You weren’t even going to mention how much you wanted to cry.

 

At some point Kaiba had led you over to a private table in front of the stage, instructing you to stay put. You couldn’t have been more grateful at the chance to sit down, but you became a little worried when he up and left. You were alone.

 

That was fine, you really needed a break from him anyway, and spending too much time around him wasn’t good for you. And oh look, Duke was heading over to keep you company _thank God._

 

“Does he abandon you often?”

 

That only stung because you were on your period. Dumb mood swings. “No, actually. I’d thought he’d never leave me alone.” You offered him the only other chair at the table.

 

Somehow the two of you got onto the subject of Kaiba’s old dueling habits, which was partially due to the fact that you’d brought up his fight from earlier in the day. Duke went into lavish detail about how much more of a prick he used to be, and suddenly you felt bad for making fun of him. _Stupid period._

 

Kaiba returned maybe half an hour later, dressed in his usual black pants and shirt, ostentatious belt, and that _fucking_ coat. The way he was practically galloping over only made it flare dramatically behind him, which suited his fiery scowl quite nicely.

 

“What am I going to have to threaten you with to keep you away from my date, _Devlin_?” he spat, folding him arms over his slightly puffed chest. He was trying to be physically intimidating, which seemed exceedingly over excessive for him.

 

Duke playfully rolled his eyes and sighed, standing up and vacating the seat. “Well maybe you shouldn’t leave her all by herself, especially not if she’s your _girlfriend_.”

 

Kaiba scoffed and stepped within reach of the other, making a point to practically guard his chair. “She is _not_ my girlfriend. I don’t have time for such things.”

 

“Aw, too bad. Does that mean she’s free to go on a date with me?” Duke flashed a smile, you couldn’t tell if he was being serious or just trying to get under Kaiba’s skin.

 

The aforementioned narrowed his eyes threateningly, opened his mouth to probably insult him, but then closed it with a grimace. That was the third time that day he’s caught himself from saying something. What had Mokuba said to him?

 

Duke took his silence as a victory and stepped away while he was ahead. But before he left, he produced a business card and handed it to you. “If you ever need a _gentleman_ to hang around, _please_ let me know~”

 

You took it before Kaiba could snatch it from you, then stuffed it into your cleavage just for good measure.

 

Kaiba growled under his breath as he sat down and watched Duke walk away, then turned his attention to the stage and ignored you with pointed effort. It was almost sad. But it didn’t last more than maybe a moment or two, your attention was also preoccupied as soon as a lavishly dressed older gentleman stepped onto the stage and fumbled with his mic.

 

There didn’t seem to be much point in paying all that much attention, none of the presentations had anything to do with you, so you tuned most of them out. There were about four fifteen minute ones, and they just talked about their company and the evolution of the games they catered to, and what they would _like_ to do with funding. It was horridly boring.

 

Suddenly you heard Kaiba’s name announced over the speakers, and you were immediately interested. He’d been working on his presentation for hours the night before, and you were honestly a little bit excited about what he’d be promoting.

 

It turned out that he had been allotted nearly forty minutes, being the CEO of the largest gaming company in the world and all, and you were giddy as he pitched the ideas for his virtual reality programs and goals. You’d figured out that the data was in beta testing, but the actual games hadn’t even reached alpha testing yet. He estimated another year or two, which deflated your excitement a little. However, he did drop a list of game titles with release dates, and that perked you up again.

 

The entire room was applauding vigorously as he closed his presentation, and you couldn’t help yourself. He was quite fun to watch speak, he was _good_ at it, and for a moment you forgot just how much you wanted to go back to the hotel. But as soon as he took he seat next to you it all came rushing back. You might even have been wincing.

 

Thankfully there was only a short closing speech, and then everyone was dismissed. You couldn’t have been more ready to leave, and nearly fell over as you shot out of your seat. Kaiba seemed just as eager to vacate the premises, leading you swiftly around people and through small crowds. He turned down a handful of dinner invitations before actually making it through the front doors and to the car.

 

When you sat down and he closed his door you allowed yourself to fully relax, scrunching your face as a throb pulsated through your body in thick waves.

 

“Did you want to go out to –“

 

“ _No._ ” You hadn’t meant to snap, but honestly if anything got between you and your bed you might try and kill it. Even if it was Kaiba.

 

He didn’t seem offended, and didn’t offer anything else until he pulled into the parking garage for the hotel. Neither of you moved to get out immediately, you were simply numb all over, and Kaiba seemed to be considering something, though not entirely happy about it.

 

“Did you want me to go out and get dinner?”

 

You started to shake your head, but there was a sudden convulsion just above your naval, and you doubled over with your hands grabbing at whatever was closest to you. The seconds counted in your head, sixteen passed before the cramps subsided, and you shook your head again. “I can’t eat.”

 

He made a noise of frustration. “You need to eat _something_.”

 

“What I _need_ is to get to the – _son of a bitch_!” Twenty-two. They were getting worse.

 

Kaiba didn’t bother fighting you, probably assuming he wasn’t going to get anywhere. Instead he got out of the car and helped you get to your feet. You immediately cursed him for not choosing to use the valet, the hotel _must_ have had one.

 

The journey to the elevator inside the building was long and arduous. You stumbled over yourself too many times to count, you had to pause and bite back a whine at least a handful of times, and you came far too close to falling in the lobby and making a complete fool of yourself. Also the numbness was gone and it felt as though needles were boring into every square inch of your skin. Keeping the ugly grimace off your face was quite difficult.

 

Of course, after your little mental victory dance in your head as you reached the elevators, people began filing in and out at nearly every level. First you’d get a moment to rest and slouch your aching body, but as soon as someone got on you had to straighten up and look as elegant as physically possible. You were only halfway up by the time you began visibly trembling.

 

As an elderly couple exited and left the two of you alone you were hit with another stabbing sensation and had to lean against Kaiba for support. You felt bad, Kaiba had a very specific personal space bubble and you’d always been so good at keeping up with it. But _damn_ it hurt so _bad_. He must have taken some kind of pity on you, because before the next small group of people joined you, he’d moved his arm – which had been practically holding you up ever since you got out of the car – and slipped it tightly around your waist, pulling you flush against him.

 

“Just relax, don’t worry about other people,” he whispered, though it didn’t exactly sound very soothing. More of a command.

 

But you simply didn’t have the energy to do anything but obey, and your fists tangled in the skirt and petticoat of your dress. Every time your muscles spasmed your knuckles turned white and your entire body flinched as it stiffened. Kaiba’s grip on you tightened.

 

 _Eventually_ you reached the last floor and Kaiba swiped the card to get into the suite, pocketing the card so he could use both hands to help you into the living room. When he let go you simply stood with your arms wrapped around yourself, you didn’t know what to do with yourself.

 

Kaiba’s hands never left your shoulders, but they ghosted away for just a moment. “What do you need right now?”

 

It was an honest question, but not one you really knew how to answer. Did you want to lay down first? Did you want to take your clothes of first? Either seemed like just as good of an idea, but you opted for the removal of your clothes. Of course, there was the matter of the pool of blood that had most likely formed between your legs.

 

“Just get me to my bathroom...” you breathed out, whining a little as you began to move again.

 

Once you were set on the edge of the bathtub Kaiba closed the door and left you alone. You slowly, _agonizingly_ , removed your dress, undergarments, and all of your hair pins and jewelry, periodically checking the water temperature. A nice long soak would do wonders for your cramps.

 

And it did. Mostly. They weren’t gone, but the worst of the pain had subsided. You still needed to meticulously dry yourself off, and quivered a little when you walked. But once your hair was dry and you’d slipped into your bathrobe you exited your living space and made a beeline for the couch, occupied or not.

 

Kaiba was standing and waiting before you even made it, and was offering further assistance. You almost settled for just telling him off, but decided that, since he’d probably never offer again, it would smarter to accept. You told him you just wanted help with straightening your back.

 

Without a complaint he moved to stand behind you and wrapped his arms around your torso, giving you instructions on how and when to breathe. As you exhaled he forced your arms and shoulders forward and compressed, sounding a ripple of popping noises. You relaxed instantly. But he didn’t seem to be finished, and moved his arms under yours, supporting the brunt of your weight. Again he gave you specific instructions, and this time, on exhale, he quickly pulled your body off your feet, releasing another handful of cracks along the length of your spine. It felt _wonderful._

 

When he released you you gave him a sincere ‘thank you’, then took up residence on the couch, curling yourself against one of the larger decorative pillows. You were surprised when he sat down with you – on the opposite side, of course – and turned on the news while getting comfortable.

 

You must have dozed off for a little while, but when you came to again Kaiba was still sitting with you, even though it was past midnight. When you looked over at him you couldn’t help but smile to yourself, he looked so... childlike. He was curled up much the same way you were, a blanket draped over his legs, his phone between his moving fingers, and his hair slightly mused. He actually looked kind of cute.

 

It didn’t last very long though, soon he was moving to get up, and looked over at you. “Come on, you need to go to bed.”

 

With a shake of your head you grabbed for his blanket. “I am.”

 

He huffed quietly, pulling the blanket from your tired fingers. “You’re not sleeping on the couch.”

 

“I’m not sleeping in my bed either, if I do my back will just be worse off in the morning.” There was no way you were sleeping on that carpeted piece of wood again.

 

But Kaiba seemed to want to insist on moving you elsewhere. “It’s not going to be any better sleeping on the couch.”

 

You’re were becoming frustrated with him. “Then what do you want me to do, Kaiba? Sleep on the floor?”

 

“... No.”

 

“Well then give me back my blanket.”

 

“ _No_.”

 

Now you sat up, your irritated eyes trained on him. “If I’m not sleeping on my bed or the floor, and you won’t let me sleep on the couch, _then what do you want me to do_?”

 

He seemed a little surprised at your attitude, but didn’t retaliate right away. Again, he seemed to be thinking. After a moment’s pause he excused himself and disappeared into his room for a good five minutes, and it sounded like he was on the phone.

 

_Oh yeah, call your little brother, I’m sure he’s got wonderful adult advice for you._

 

When he came back over to you, he ushered you back onto your feet. “I guess I’m sharing tonight.”


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this one is a little bit shorter, but it's very important.

There were literally millions of red flags nearly beating you to death in your head, _he was sharing?_ The statement by itself would have been enough cause for danger in literally any other situation, Kaiba simply doesn’t share. The fact that he was referring to his sleeping space made you beyond suspicious.

 

But by the time you realized all this you were already in his bedroom with the door shut behind you. It was hard not to panic. “Wait a minute, does that mean what I think it means? Because if it does I think I’d _rather_ sleep on the floor.”

 

He sighed as he pulled back the covers of one side of the bed, then turned to scowl at you. “You’re being difficult again.”

 

“I think I have every right to be!” You replied, your feet betraying you as they continued forward. Somehow you found yourself snuggled underneath the sheet and thick comforter, even as your body continued to pulsate with pain, you could feel the discomfort slowly leaving you. It was blissful.

 

* * *

 

 

You woke in the middle of the night, as usual, and was in need of a quick change. As you fumbled around in the dark suite towards your bathroom you cursed yourself for settling for super plus. They simply weren’t big enough.

 

Probably by sheer luck you managed to find your way back to Kaiba’s room without waking him up, and as soon as you closed his door behind you, you felt weird again. It didn’t really seem right to you, there was some reason he was allowing you into his space, but there wasn’t any way for you to understand or discern what it was.

 

But you were still sleepy, so you worked to push those thoughts from your mind as you crawled back under the covers. Of course, you weren’t about to fall asleep right away, you now had to wait for another – thankfully lighter – set of cramps to pass.

 

The last time you remembered looking at the clock was at 3:27am.

 

* * *

 

 

This time when you awoke the daylight was cascading gently into the room through the curtains, and the light was pleasant and warm. You shifted comfortably, blinked your eyes open, and slowly sat up to look around. You’d forgotten where you were, and nearly jumped at the sight of your boss sleeping next to you.

 

For a moment you sat still, allowing the alarms in your head to run their courses. Then, relaxed, you looked over again. Your heart melted.

 

Kaiba was half sprawled on his side of the bed, his long legs bent and invasive to your side while the rest of him was curled up to his pillow. The hand you could see was faintly clutching at the sheets and you could barely see his skin prickling against the cool air of the room, he’d kicked the blankets away from himself sometime in the middle of the night.

 

As you vaguely wondered if he had been responsible for the dull pain on your right leg your eyes fell on his face. Even though his bangs fell wildly over his eyes, you could still see that he looked entirely peaceful, and for some reason that made you sad.

 

You laid back down and turned your body to face him, watching his shoulder rise and fall with his breathing. He looked vulnerable, which was a _stark_ contrast to the rigid exterior you were so used to. Usually he seemed like he was teetering on the line between irritation and anger, but here his face was lax and gentle.

 

The caregiver in you suddenly roared to life and you fought back the want to run your fingers through his hair and snuggle up to him. You were sure you’d pay more than one level of hell for it later. But somehow you felt guilty, like there was something you could do, especially after you realized that anger wasn’t the only thing absent. He didn’t look pained.

 

It was always subtle, and you were sure he thought he was doing a perfect job at hiding it, but you almost always saw right through that. His pain was etched all over his face, and you could only imagine the number of things that were causing it. That’s why you felt so guilty, you wanted to help but you were almost sure that either he wouldn’t let you, or you’d be wrong about what he needed.

 

Tentatively, you reached out your hand, pausing and nearly jerking away when he shifted and sighed in his sleep. But he soon settled, and you continued to reach out to him, ghosting your fingers across stray locks of hair. When he didn’t seem to wake, you allowed yourself to get a little lost in the feeling. You noticed very quickly that Kaiba’s hair was much softer, unlike Mokuba’s unruly mane which you’d been pleaded to brush out on at least a couple separate occasions.

 

You must’ve stopped really paying attention to what you were doing, and you might’ve fallen back asleep as comfortable as you were. A soft hum roused you from your thoughts and immediately put you on guard. When you opened your eyes, Kaiba looked as if he were still asleep. Perhaps you had heard wrong and –

 

“I’m assuming this makes us even.”

 

There simply wasn’t any reaction time, so instead of _doing_ something you ended up just freezing with your fingers still tangled in his hair and your eyes wide open. At least you hadn’t started muttering dumb excuses. “I – I didn’t...” There really wasn’t anything for you to say. Except, “What do you mean, even?”

 

He huffed lightly, smirking as he seemed pleased that you weren’t actually aware of what he was referring to. “Nothing,” he said finally, closing his eyes again.

 

Now you were forced to make a decision, and it may very well end up meaning a great deal more than you were prepared to consider so early in the morning. You could either remove your hand and leave entirely, or continue and pray that Kaiba wouldn’t tell you off. If you were to be totally honest, you wanted to keep playing with his hair, but again, it wasn’t quite that simple.

 

Somehow, your immediate actions would determine how your strange relationship with Kaiba would continue to progress. If you opted for ‘cease and desist’, removing yourself from the situation, it could insinuate that you were simply too afraid of Kaiba to make him aware of your feelings – which you were still attempting to sort out on your own. That wouldn’t get you anywhere, he doesn’t appreciate pushovers. Of course, there was the other side of the coin, where you continue your ministrations and run the risk of irritating him. However, it would hopefully get the idea across that you were perfectly willing to provide the affection he’d been so cruelly deprived of. But whether or not he still craved such attention was unknown to you, and would make your efforts a true shot in the dark.

 

You knew that getting anywhere without risking at least something was almost impossible, so rather than back down and play it safe, you gently began to move your fingers. After waiting a solid few seconds and getting no backlash, you figured it was safe to become engaged.

 

Kaiba didn’t exactly participate or show any signs of specific enjoyment, but even as he turned over – presenting you with more hair to play with – he made sure not to cut contact.

 

For the better part of maybe fifteen minutes, you allowed yourself to enjoy the mutual sense of acceptance. You weren’t resisting your need to give affection and he wasn’t protesting against receiving it. Perhaps this would change something, small most likely, but you were almost certain that maybe now, Kaiba thought of you a little differently.

 

And that thought didn’t even last until breakfast.


	33. Chapter 33

As soon as the moment was over – at the sound of his phone obnoxiously going off – he was ordering you around as if nothing had happened.

 

You needed a shower, yours was too far away, you were being too slow, you forgot your bathrobe, _it was constant._ ‘No, wear something nicer.’, ‘Don’t eat a big breakfast.’, ‘You don’t have time to waste prattling around.’

 

By the time you’d gotten him to agree to letting you eat a bowl of cereal you wanted to strangle him. Sure, he was still your boss, nothing about that had really changed. But shit you thought he’d at least be a little nicer? _Jesus, what the hell does he expect from me?_

 

On your way out the door – to where, you had no idea – Kaiba gave you a onceover, critiquing your outfit. It was a sort of trendy business casual, but still comfortable enough to wear all day. When he got to your shoes, he paused.

 

“No wonder you seem so short.”

 

_Excuse me, what the fuck did you just say?_

 

“Don’t you have any –“

 

“If you ask me to put on another pair of heels I will shove the stiletto _straight up your ass._ ”

 

He didn’t say anything else, probably for the sake of time, and simply drug you out of the building as fast as your shorter legs could carry you. Even though you were wearing flats, your feet still hurt like shit, and by the time you got to the car you were nearly limping. You fumed at him for the majority of the ride.

 

“When are you going to tell me where we’re going?” you shot harshly, glaring out of the corner of your eye.

 

He matched your stare evenly. “A business meeting. I expect you to stay quiet.”

 

“Then why didn’t you just leave me at the hotel?”

 

“Why does it matter?”

 

“Because I still feel like shit and you don’t need me here with you!”

 

Perhaps your hormones were tipping your moods again, but dammit you still wanted to yell at him, which was really hard to do when he was ignoring the fact that you were right and keeping his mouth shut.

 

He usually _always_ had something to say.

 

You stared out the window until he pulled into the convention center parking lot, and you were immediately exhausted of the place. As far as you were concerned, you’d spent enough time in there to last you the rest of your life.

 

But you didn’t want Kaiba to have to drag you out of the car – you knew he was not above doing so – and you didn’t really have the energy to fight him. So instead of arguing, you simply followed behind him into the building and up to the third floor to the meeting room.

 

It wasn’t very large, but it sat at least twenty-four or so people at the long table, and most of the those seats were already occupied by stuffy older men that looked as if they’d been wearing the same suit as the day before. In fact, only one seat was left open, and Kaiba instructed you to stand.

 

Appalled simply was not a strong enough word, but you still somehow found yourself standing quietly off to the side with your hands clasped in front of you and your eyes cast downwards. A minute ago you were fuming, now you were feeling sorry for yourself. This was ridiculous.

 

Two minutes before eleven a man came rushing in, a large binder tucked under his arm. He set it on the table and took residence in the chair next to the projector screen, flipping through a few of his pages before getting everyone’s attention.

 

You tuned out the details, which were only explaining the terms of a contract that apparently someone – or maybe a few people – wanted to make with Kaiba about funding. Good for him. _Hurry up and sign the damn thing so I can go back to the hotel._ You weren’t really sure why the whole thing needed to take nearly an hour, but it was almost noon before Kaiba made use of a pen.

 

_Thank God._

 

Their goodbyes were quick and terse, and eventually Kaiba was leading you back out of the building. You were fuming again.

 

“So tell me again why I needed to go to that stupid meeting.”

 

Kaiba ignored your attitude and didn’t bother to answer your question, he didn’t seem to be in a particularly good mood. He remained silent until the two of you were back in the car. “When we get back to the hotel, pack your things.”

 

You were _more_ than happy to oblige. It might have taken you a little longer than you’d wanted it to, but within a good hour you had everything neatly packed away and ready to be put on the jet. By the time you emerged in something more comfortable to wear on the trip home, Kaiba had already notified the front desk to send a bellboy.

 

The elevator doors opened within the next few minutes, and after the bellboy left with your bags you were just waiting on Kaiba to double check the rooms. Once he was satisfied the two of you left the hotel and took the limousine back to the airport and boarded the private jet.

 

You kept yourself busy for the flight back to Domino, neither you nor Kaiba saying a word, and the car ride back to your apartment went much the same way. You only spoke to the driver to say ‘thank you’ after he’d helped you get your bags inside, and after that you were free of Kaiba until the next morning.

 

Sometime in the evening you got a call from Mokuba, and he asked about the convention and how his brother had behaved. The only thing you left out was sharing his bed. Between talking with Mokuba and fixing something for dinner, you were ready for bed a little earlier than usual.

 

But some extra sleep before work didn’t sound like a bad idea.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is sort of the crowning glory of this whole fic, and it's really important to Kaiba's internal development.

Kaiba was scarcely in his office on Monday, and you only saw him when he asked for coffee or needed something delivered to finances. He seemed to also be getting edgier each time you even saw him in passing. By Tuesday morning you were just waiting for his fuse to blow. Thankfully, you were on the other side of his office doors when that happened, but you could clearly hear the nasty things he said to whoever was on the other end of the phone.

 

The secretary had become acclimated to Kaiba’s behavior, and it didn’t really faze her, you were sure she’d be sticking around for a while. However, you were beyond curious as to why he’d been so upset lately. Maybe if you’d asked he’d tell you. It was worth a shot.

 

Just before lunch he requested coffee, and you quickly got a cup made to take into his office. When you opened the door you saw Mokuba lounging on the couch – paying his brother no mind – while Kaiba was practically pulling his hair out at his desk. You set the cup down gently.

 

He heaved a sigh and took the cup without a word, nearly drinking half the mug before setting it aside.

 

You looked over the spread of papers that were strewn across the desk, but couldn’t make much sense out of them, except for an older version of the Kaiba Corp logo stamped real big in the header of a few and the fact that they obviously had to do with the funding he’d be receiving. For some reason that raised a red flag. “Kaiba, is everything all right?” You couldn’t help yourself, he looked so _tired_. But he merely shook his head in response. You bent down a little, trying to look at his face, “Hey, what’s going on?”

 

The glare he gave you was beyond anything you’d ever seen him give anybody, but there was far more than anger in his eyes. Yes, he was irritated, he was tired, maybe even a little past his limits. But more than anything, he was in _pain_. Something was wrong.

 

“Kaiba –“

 

“If you want to know so damn bad, why don’t you ask my _Father’s_ fucking _shadow_!”

 

It was hard not to flinch away, his voice was so loud. But his statement immediately put you a little on edge. “What do you –“

 

“The one that’s fucking followed me since I left him! I can’t get rid of it!” He was standing now, with his hands pressed against the wood of his desk. “No matter what I do they find some way in, some way to get to me. I fucking drove him into the ground and somehow he’s still here!”

 

Kaiba was seething, his cheeks red and his knuckles white. You could even see his shoulders trembling through his thick padded coat.

 

“I finally proved him wrong and got rid of everything he ever did, I _rebuilt_ this place from the ground up! And I’m still living in his _fucking shadow_!”

 

The whole thing wasn’t totally clear to you, but one thing for certain was, and that pissed you off worse than anything. But before you could bite your tongue, you were yelling back with just as much passion and anger. “How dare you!”

 

He looked up, his eyes narrowed dangerously as if challenging you.

 

“I don’t know what exactly Gozaburo did to fuck up the way you think, but if you honestly believe that you’re still living in his shadow than you need to take a good look around. Because the only thing here that’s casting a shadow, aside from your damn ego, is this god damn building! That _you_ built! Not him!” You paused only to take a breath.

 

Kaiba remained silent.

 

“It took me a long time to admit this to myself, but you’ve done more good for people than anyone else I’ve ever even met. You could’ve made a hell of a lot more money selling those weapons rather than destroying them, but you didn’t. And rather than being pressured into turning this company into some other dangerous ploy, you used it to promote a _children’s card game_ , because it couldn’t hurt people.”

 

Kaiba’s face had lost its rage, but he was still very much on the defensive.

 

“Maybe you have a shit attitude, but that doesn’t change what you’ve done. And the fact that you speak so lowly of yourself is an insult this company, it’s an insult to everyone who works here, and it’s an insult to _me_.”

 

Now Kaiba looked as though he felt guilty for what he’d said, and that only pushed you that much farther.

 

“If you need validation for what you’ve done, look at _yourself_ rather than your piece of shit step-father. Because he may have started this company, but you turned the Kaiba name into something _he never deserved._ ”

 

You didn’t bother to stick around, and immediately stormed out with your fists clenched and your jaw set firmly. The door slammed behind you.

 

* * *

 

 

Kaiba didn’t call you for anything else that day, but Mokuba managed to find you on your way back up to the secretary’s desk after your last delivery. He looked almost lost, but somehow a little bit in awe.

 

He ran after you to catch the elevator, waiting until everyone else had exited. “Hey,” he breathed, watching the doors shut. “I uh... I’m glad you said all that earlier...” His words came out slow, as if he weren’t sure if he really wanted to say them.

 

You sighed and looked down at your shoes, gently clutching at your skirt. “I shouldn’t have yelled though.”

 

Mokuba shook his head. “If you hadn’t I don’t think the point would’ve gotten across, and it was something he really needed to hear. Thank you.” He smiled at you in earnest, conveying far more in his glossy eyes than he ever could in his smile.

 

Suddenly it posed a question. “How did he take it after I left?”

 

Mokuba’s cheeks immediately flushed, and his whole body seemed to sag. He wrapped his arms around himself and kept his gaze at the doors rather than looking at you. “I don’t think he’d want me to tell you.”

 

Now you felt bad. “I hope I didn’t make things worse, I just wanted to –“

 

“He cried.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No he wasn't outright sobbing, Kaiba doesn't really do that. It was more of a gentle tear... maybe two.


	35. Chapter 35

The guilt you felt for the rest of the evening was _unparalleled_. You absolutely had _not_ intended on making Kaiba cry, which was weird because you simply had just accepted the fact that that was something he couldn’t do. But somehow you struck a nerve and said something that did more than just upset him.

 

Or maybe it was more of a ‘tears of joy’ kind of thing? But you hardly believed Kaiba was capable of joy either. Again, you were left feeling guilty.

 

But all you had wanted to do was tell him you really felt. You never realized how much he beat himself down on the inside, but it certainly made a lot of sense. All you wanted was to let him know that he wasn’t the failure he thought he was, and that he really had done a lot of amazing things for a lot of people. Maybe you just went about it the wrong way?

 

Still guilty. Now you had to apologize.

 

Normally you left around nine, which was sooner than Kaiba did, you were perfectly aware of his tendencies to stay late. So you decided to stay as well, saying goodnight to Kim as she left for the evening. You waited around for about forty-five minutes before making a fresh pot of coffee, just to make sure that Kaiba would actually be staying. Once the pot alerted you to its being done, you poured two cups and made for his office. There was another sudden pang of guilt.

 

But you simply didn’t have the option of letting it dissuade you, so you pushed the door open and stepped inside. Kaiba was hunched over his desk, the same papers littering the surface. Mokuba had long since left.

 

You set one cup off to the side for him before curling up in one of the guest chairs with your own mug, mulling over how you wanted to begin. If Kaiba didn’t want you in his office he hadn’t bothered to tell you such, which was a good enough sign. Unfortunately, you came to the conclusion that you’d have to throw Mokuba under the bus in order to validate your reason for apologizing, because in theory, you weren’t supposed to have upset him, so your apology would sound more conceited than anything.

 

When you finally decided on where to start, you quietly began, “I hope you don’t think that what I said wasn’t true...”

 

He looked up from his work, his face a little ragged and worn. “Why are you here?”

 

 _Guess I have to be blunt._ “I’m here to apologize.”

 

“Why?”

 

 _Mokuba, I’m so sorry, please don’t hold this against me._ “Mokuba told me that you –“

 

“He _what_!”

 

You held your hands up in defense. “Hey, chill out. He didn’t want to, I kind of made him. But the point is, that wasn’t my intent.”

 

Kaiba still looked furious.

 

“All I wanted was to try and tell you that you really aren’t as bad as you obviously make yourself out to be. I don’t know what nerve I hit or what I said, but the last thing I wanted to do was upset you.”

 

He relaxed a little, but the scowl was still present.

 

“Maybe I went about it the wrong way, but I know you don’t think very highly of me or my opinion, so I guess I was just afraid that if I was gentle about it... that you wouldn’t listen...” Your fingers clenched around the cup in your hands as you stared into the creamy stillness.

 

For a while the silence reigned, and the longer you sat in the chair the more you wanted to just _become_ the chair. You didn’t dare look up to see what face Kaiba was making at you, it didn’t really matter, you’d said your peace. You just were having a hard time removing yourself from the room.

 

Eventually, he spoke. “There’s a lot that even Mokuba doesn’t know, things that Gozaburo did to me that...” He shut his eyes for a moment, breathing evenly. “I heard what you said, and the only reason I got upset was because I believed you.”

 

You could tell by the subtle shift of his eyes that that wasn’t the whole truth, but you knew there was no use in pressing the matter, what he’d said was enough for you. “I just want you to know that nobody else thinks you’re a failure.”

 

He nodded quietly, then looked back at the scattered mess of papers. “Could you shred these in the morning?”

 

“I’d be more than happy to.”

 

Kaiba packed his things to leave and offered to walk you out of the building, even going so far as to thank you for the coffee. You quietly accompanied him down the elevator in a comfortable silence, and kept pace with him until you turned to part ways, pausing as he called to you.

 

“What time do you leave for work in the morning?”

 

You thought for a second. “7:30 at the latest, why?”

 

“Goodnight.”

 

You didn’t bother with it, he was in a weird mood and the best thing would be to just let him get through it without trying to question him. Besides, you needed to get to bed, you should’ve been asleep an hour ago.

 

* * *

 

 

Your alarm sounded in the morning as it always did, and you went about your morning routine, shower, breakfast, change of clothes. This time you had some time to spare, and decided to make your own coffee at home to go, rather than waiting until you got to work. As soon as you turned the pot on, there was an odd knock at your door.

 

Usually it was the mail lady, if anyone, so you were far more than surprised to see Kaiba standing in your doorway, looking a lot more like himself than he was last night. “Uh, good morning?”

 

“Inviting me in would be more polite than wasting pleasantries on me.”

 

Yep. Good ol’ Kaiba.

 

You stepped aside and gestured to your apartment, waiting for the comments to fly about your laundry hamper being left in the hallway, or the text books strewn all over the living room. But thankfully, he spotted the coffee pot, and it gave him tunnel vision to the rest of your apartment.

 

“You won’t like it,” you offered, joining him in the kitchen to check your e-mail before you left. You watched him study it before deciding that you were right and leaving it alone. “So what brings you to my shitty apartment this morning?”

 

He took the empty barstool and sat at the island with you. “I’m driving you to work.”

 

You blinked a time or two before vocalizing your confusion. “Pardon?”

 

Kaiba only stared at you.

 

With a sigh, you stared back. “ _Why_ are you taking me to work?”

 

He shifted slightly in his seat, you wondered if maybe he was doing something un-Kaiba like. “I owe you an apology as well.”

 

 _Well that came straight out of left field._ Again, you blinked. “An apology for what?”

 

“You’ll find out when I drop you off.”

 

 _Of fucking course._ “You suck.”

 

At least he was pleasant until he got you to work.


	36. Chapter 36

It was odd how his mood and behavior could shift on dime, and it kept your guard up for the better part of the morning. You brought him his coffee with professional silence, speaking only when spoken to, and he thanked you yet again.

 

Sure, you didn’t want to question and run the risk of ruining everything, but shit you wanted to know what the hell he’d been referring to earlier. There were a number of things he could apologize for, but none of them were really any more severe or worth bringing up than the others.

 

Of course, you were a little suspicious when he offered to take you to lunch. But you didn’t really have the heart to turn him down, he looked almost hopeful that you’d say yes, and whatever weird emotions he was still dealing with, it would be better to just keep him happy. When you returned to his office, you saw Mokuba curled up on the couch with his knees pulled to his chest and his face buried in his arms.

 

Whatever paperwork there was lying on your desk could wait, now something was wrong with the _other_ Kaiba. You approached him gently, watching for a stern look from Kaiba warning you to stay away, but he gave you none and only sighed when you shot him a questioning look. Being as gentle as possible, you sat down on the couch in front of Mokuba, running both hands through his wild mess of hair.

 

You cooed and coaxed until he finally raised his head, and you felt a small lump form in your throat. His eyes were wet and red, his cheeks were blotchy, and his nose looked like it’d been rubbed raw. Despite the puffy face and tear stains, he still tried to smile when he saw you. And it broke your heart.

 

“Mokuba... Sweetheart, what happened?” You cradled his face in your hands, stroking his temples with your thumbs.

 

He sniffed and tried to shake his head, wincing and clenching his shoulders. “Mm-m. ‘s fine.”

 

But you knew better, and you’d already assumed that he’d try and play it off. “Mokuba,” you tried again, pleading with your eyes in a way that he’d done to you so many times before.

 

His resolve cracked shortly, and another stream of tears began cascading down his cheeks. “I caught her cheating on me...” he whispered finally.

 

You knew exactly who he was referring to, he and his girlfriend had been together for almost seven months, but you somehow knew that she wasn’t really who he said she was. However, you couldn’t say ‘I told you so’, and it wasn’t his fault. So, as you continued to coo and hush him, you maneuvered yourself behind him and wrapped him firmly in your arms.

 

The relationship you and Mokuba had wasn’t quite as strange as the one you had with Kaiba, but it wasn’t exactly straightforward either. On most days, you treated him like he was your own brother, he was easy to get along with that way despite his mischievous tendencies. But on other days you treated him as if he were your own, and mothered him mercilessly and without restraint. He wouldn’t refuse your caregiver nature, unlike Kaiba, so you always felt free to shower him in affection. Right now, he needed that.

 

The better part of the rest of your day was spent catering to Mokuba, and Kaiba never said a word about it, even though you had a growing stack of papers to file and he knew it. But you knew that Mokuba was far more important, and you’d bet that Kaiba was at least a little grateful that you were taking the initiative to be his shoulder to cry on.

 

You let him talk out his feelings, offered the best advice you had, helped distract his mind with video games, and got him takeout for dinner. He was beyond appreciative, almost to the point of feeling guilty about pulling you away from your work. But you’d have none of that, and very sternly told him that he was and would always be more important than your work. You even caught the glint of a smile from Kaiba for that.

 

 However, you very promptly ushered Mokuba home after dinner, telling him that resting would do him the most good. He left reluctantly, clinging to you for a solid minute before thanking you again and actually leaving in the elevator. When he was gone, you turned to Kaiba, who was still almost smiling.

 

“I told him she was a two-faced bitch,” you announced, crossing your arms pointedly.

 

He actually snickered and bit his lip. “Oh I know, he told me.”

 

“Well I don’t know why he didn’t listen to me,” you went on, grabbing your lukewarm cup of coffee off of Kaiba’s desk. “It’s not like I have experience or anything,” your sarcasm almost seeped through your lips.

 

Kaiba only shook his head and gathered the things on his desk, tidying everything up before packing. “Alright, time to get you home.”

 

You followed him obediently out to his car, wondering offhandedly why he hadn’t taken the limo. But you didn’t ask, it wasn’t really that important, and got in anyway. As soon as he pulled off of Kaiba Corp. property you began the questions.

 

“So what’s this about an apology?”

 

“I’ll tell you when I drop you off.”

 

“No no, that just makes it easier for you to leave.”

 

“Exactly.”

 

“Oh come on! Why do you always insist on running away?”

 

“I’m not running away.”

 

“Well it’s not exactly a tactical retreat.”

 

“I’m bad with emotions.”

 

You stopped, squinting at him with suspicion. _What the hell is that supposed to mean?_ It was true, of course, he wasn’t really well versed in handling other people’s emotions or his own. But that only made you question what uncomfortable encounter was waiting for you when the two of you got to your apartment. It really could be any number of things.

 

When he parked next to your building your gut began to churn, and you weren’t really sure if you were ready for a feelsy moment with your... boss. Somehow it suddenly seemed weird to think of Kaiba as your boss anymore, and that had you a little worried. But you lead him valiantly to your door, unlocked it without missing the keyhole, and stepped inside.

 

Even after you removed your shoes and dropped your purse, you weren’t sure if you were supposed to invite him in or risk another scene in front of your door. But when you turned to him, he was already standing inside your threshold with his hand on the doorknob.

 

“Do you need to come in or...?”

 

Kaiba shook his head and glanced down at the floor, you could immediately tell that he was more than a little uncomfortable. “I just need a minute. First I want to thank you,” he said, thinking over his words carefully. “I know that there are... some things I simply can’t give Mokuba, but I’m glad you took care of him.”

 

He wasn’t exactly pained, but you could tell he was having a hard time forcing out his words, so you appreciated him stepping outside of his comfort zone to give you an honest thank you. “I’m just a caregiver, and if you’d let me I’d do the same things to you,” you offered, grinning coyly as he looked away from you with a slight blush. It might have been awkward, but you knew that Kaiba needed to be outside of his comfort zone sometimes, so you didn’t feel bad.

 

“And my apology...”

 

Now you were nervous again.

 

He took a small step closer, sliding his hands into his pockets in discomfort. “You were right, the last time I did this it was out of line and rude, so, I’m... _sorry_.”

 

You were about to question what it was that he was referring to by ‘last time’, but as soon as you figured it out it was far too late. He’d already closed the distance and bent down, so as soon as you opened your mouth to protest it was all over. Your breath caught in his mouth and you were fighting not to melt where you stood. That fact that you weren’t sure how exactly you felt about the situation distracted you from actually kissing him back, but you also weren’t sure if you wanted to. But you did, despite your own warnings, and this time he didn’t immediately pull away.

 

He wasn’t particularly gentle, but he was far from rough or too overbearing which was what you half expected. Instead he was just simply allowing it to happen without trying to force it to be one thing or another, and maybe that’s why it felt so oddly blissful. There wasn’t really anything tender about it, and you took it to be more of a confession for his own wellbeing rather than yours. That was fine, the more he understood his own feelings the better he’d be able to explain them to you later.

 

Of course, you’d been hoping that he wouldn’t simply walk away and say goodnight like last time, but the second he pulled away and left you nearly breathless, he turned and left, closing the door decidedly behind him. You debated throwing the door open again and calling after him, but if he needed his space then you didn’t have a right to take that away from him.

 

There was always tomorrow, after all.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a little extra fun with this one.

Thursday morning came like a storm on your doorstep, and even though you were through PMSing, you simply had no intentions of dealing with anyone’s bullshit at 7am. You needed to leave for work, you needed to tend to the ignored mound of papers on your desk, and you _needed_ to talk to Kaiba. So whoever was pounding so viciously on your door could fuck off.

 

Of course, you weren’t going to say that to your landlady, even if she was looking more prudish than usual. “Good morning, Ms. Yamimako, what can I do for –“

 

“Oh cut the crap, young lady!” the old woman snapped, narrowing her thin eyes. “I know all about it, and I want you _out_ of here!”

 

You blinked, almost squinting at her. “I beg your pardon?”

 

She made a motion as if ruffling feathers that she didn’t have, and nearly lost her grip on her cane. “They’ve told me all about you, and your _illegal_ habits!”

 

 _Oh no, not this shit._ “Ms. Yamimako, please. You know I have a clean record, I work for _Kaiba Corp._ for fuck’s sake. Do you have any idea how often I have to take a drug test?”

 

The woman only chuffed and continued to prattle. You knew what was going on, and truly it was inevitable, you had just been hoping you’d have your degree so you could get a better job and move out. But now that your degree would only serve as a pretty trinket to hang on your wall, perhaps it was better now than never.

 

You didn’t really talk to any of your neighbors, most of them were trashy and thought you were far too good to be living next to them. This included a pair of boys that lived across the hall, and you knew for a fact that they were college dropouts and drug dealers. But they’d spent so many years buttering up the landlady that she thought of them as her own sons. You were the only other person in the apartment complex that knew they were a couple of potheads, which was something Ms. Yamimako would have you evicted for. So in order to cover their asses and make sure you didn’t tattle, they were framing you. How lovely.

 

“Listen, if you want to search my house, _fine_ , I’ve got nothing to hide. But I’m willing to bet money those two _ingrates_ that live across the hall aren’t so good at hiding things.” Personally, you didn’t like talking back to old people, not even bitchy ones, but your home was on the line, and it wasn’t like you had any family close enough to bunk with.

 

But she wouldn’t have it, and ordered you into her office, there was really nothing you could do other than to follow. So you did, your heels clacking against the cement as you trekked the short walk to her office building, finding the two dickwads sitting smugly against the wall. You could even tell they were high by the redness of their eyes and their lopsided grins.

 

For the next half an hour you argued and pleaded and did everything you knew you could to try and keep your apartment. When that didn’t work, you tried calling the police, but all they told you was that it was the landlady’s decision and nothing other than your word had indicated their breaking the law.

 

You eventually had to step out for fresh air, needing a moment to figure out what you were going to do. She had wanted you gone by _Saturday_ , giving you a grand total of three days to find a new place to live and move out. It was impossible, and very quickly you realized that you couldn’t debate between options you didn’t have.

 

The ringing of your phone pulled you out of your meager thoughts. _Oh shit, Kaiba wants his coffee._ “Hello?”

 

“ _Where the hell are you! Your shift started almost thirty minutes ago!_ ”

 

You fought the urge to yell at him. “I’m sorry, but I’m currently in the middle of getting _fucking evicted from my apartment._ ”

 

He paused. “ _What? Why?”_

 

“Because the two creeps across the hall are framing me as a pothead because I’m the only one that knows they’re drug dealers,” you hissed, shooting a glare in through the office window of your landlady.

 

“ _I’ll come down there and handle it._ ”

 

“Oh no,” you insisted, “Don’t bother, she values morality more than money, you couldn’t buy her favor no matter how big of a check you wrote. _Trust me_.”

 

Kaiba seemed unsatisfied with your answer, but didn’t push. “ _Then bring your laptop and get over here. I’ll give you the morning off to find a new apartment, just keep the pot full._ ” He hung up.

 

* * *

 

 

You brought a pair of mugs into Kaiba’s office, setting one on his desk and keeping one for yourself. Him giving you some time off to look for a new apartment was a level of kindness you’d never seen, even though usually you’d expect any normal employer to give you the whole day off. But you weren’t about to barter with him. Instead you curled up in one of the oversized guest chairs and went house hunting, figuring you could kill two birds with one stone. “So what was last night about?”

 

He kept silent.

 

For a few minutes you let it slide, allotting him some time to think over his answer. You’d only found one acceptable place so far, and bookmarked it for later. “Well?”

 

“Do we really have to have this conversation right now?” he sighed, looking at you evenly.

 

You rolled your eyes and went back to your business, ignoring him. Over the next twenty minutes you looked at and dismissed seven apartments. “How much of it was Mokuba’s idea?”

 

He huffed. “That’s a childish question and I’m not going to bother answering it.”

 

 _That means yes._ Again, you let it slide, and continued to focus on looking for a new place to stay. You were starting to grow frustrated. Another eleven discarded. “So are you going to start referring to me as your girlfriend or are we just a kind of friends with benefits?”

 

Kaiba sighed heavily and buried his face in his hands, groaning audibly enough for you to hear. After he ran his fingers through his hair he glared pointedly at you. “I don’t want to talk about this right now, _don’t_ ask me again.”

 

It wasn’t like you just expected one tiny little kiss to magically turn him into some charming vision you’d had in your recent dreams. But damn it it’d be nice to not have to deal with mixed messages. However, you knew he’d talk about it when he was ready, and you _had_ been over an hour late with his coffee, so it wasn’t all that surprising that he was still in a bad mood.

 

After lunch he asked you to send him a copy of the short list of apartments you’d found livable, and as he reviewed them you made quick work of the obscene stack of documents. Luckily for you, most of them went to the same department, but that still left you with plenty of time to wonder why in hell Kaiba had any interest in where you’d be living. It wasn’t like he was going to be paying your rent.

 

Somehow as soon as you finished one thing there were already three more lined up, and you were nearly on empty by the time things slowed down. At least he forwarded some calls to you, those were always quick to perk you up. But as the evening wore on you figured you’d try asking again, and brought another two cups into his office with you.

 

“I want you to sign something.”

 

You eyed him suspiciously. “You aren’t making me sign a dating contract, are you?”

 

“ _No_. It’s about your _job_. Now _sit_.”

 

Obediently, you sat in front of him and slid over his cup of coffee, knitting your eyebrows together when he traded you for a contract. A one-page contract, which only took you a few minutes to read. “Oh you are _not_ firing me.”

 

Kaiba rubbed at his temples. “No, I’m _not_. I’m terminating the contract for your EPA position. You’re free to keep the job, if you want. However, I’d rather you know that you working for me has different implications and it makes me uncomfortable. But I won’t fire you if you want to stay.”

 

You blinked a few times and let his words sink in, mulling them over in your head. He wasn’t firing you, and was giving you the opportunity to keep your job, he was just basically lifting the ‘if EPA does not adhere to all given tasks they will be terminated’ aspect, essentially giving you more freedom. But now that there were potential feelings, he was uncomfortable with being your boss, and truthfully, so were you. However, that didn’t mean you didn’t still need the job. “Frankly, I don’t really like thinking of you as my boss either, but I still need a paycheck.”

 

He nodded tersely. “Then let me ask you what it is that _you_ want to do.”

 

“Job-wise?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Unfortunately, you hadn’t really thought about that for a while, establishing yourself in your field, even with a degree, would take time. You’d counted on having a job doing something else while you built a reputation, which was originally working in the café. Now you were faced with the option to leave Kaiba Corp., but that’d mean you’d have to give up your _wonderful_ hourly wage.

 

You sighed heavily, staring at your hands in thought. “I don’t... I can’t get the same paycheck _anywhere_ else, but I don’t exactly _love_ working here. Yeah, Kim’s way better than that last bitch, and most people I have to see on a daily basis like me well enough, and you’ve kinda grown on me. But I don’t think I want to _stay_ here...”

 

Kaiba considered you for a moment, and nodded again. “I accept that. But money aside, what is it that you want to do?”

 

Honestly? “I miss working in a café.”

 

It was faint, but he smirked, and you wondered what horrid plan he had in mind for you. “I don’t suppose you want to go back to your old café, do you?”

 

You almost laughed. “ _Hell_ no.”

 

He seemed pleased. “Would you rather have your own?”

 

 _Wait..._ “What? Like... own it? It’ll me _mine_?”

 

“Yes.”

 

 _Holy shit that’d be fucking great I could totally –_ “What’s the catch?”

 

His smirk widened. You should’ve known. “As long as you pay me back, _with_ interest, and I get free coffee, money is not an object.”

 

That sounded simple enough... “So you’re willing to loan me money so I can open my own café, and all I have to do is pay it back with interest and give you free coffee? _That’s it_?”

 

“That’s it.”

 

“... _I will fucking hand deliver your coffee in diamond encrusted dragon mug if you’re serious._ ” You would to, by God. That cup would have its own damn display case in your shop so it could look down on everyone and let them know who got priority.

 

Your comment elicited a challenging look, and you were sure he fully expected such. “I look forward to doing business with you.”


	38. Chapter 38

He offered to pick you up from work again the next morning, and you happily accepted, smiling to yourself even after you’d parted ways for the evening. Kaiba may not have been particularly chipper, but he didn’t quite have a chill air about him either, it was a nice little change.

 

The next morning you’d barely finished your shower before there was a knock on your door, and you cursed at having to let him in clad in nothing but a towel. But you knew making him wait until you were dressed would only sour his mood, so you bit the bullet and awkwardly pulled the door open, quickly giving him an excuse and disappearing back into your bedroom.

 

When you reemerged Kaiba was standing in the kitchen next to your coffee pot, looking at it curiously. “I made it strong enough for you this time, so help yourself.”

 

He poured himself a cup and took a seat next to you as you stole a few minutes to continue looking at apartments. He’d disapproved of all the ones you sent to him, which figured, and you were quickly becoming more aware of just how difficult it was going to be to find one.

 

You’d been lucky to find the one you were at now, the one you were being _evicted_ from. It wasn’t exactly in the nicest part of town, but it included a washer and dryer and the rent wasn’t going to allow cobwebs to form in your wallet, so you took it. Sure, you were one of the cleanest residents Ms. Yamimako had, you’d never been late on a payment, and you never caused trouble. But for some reason the Universe saw fit to throw you out of your house and give you minimal time to assess the damage. And all of the affordable apartments were either much too far away or barely offered even the simplest necessities.

 

Kaiba had obviously noticed your frustration, and watched you intently. “I take it you’re not having any luck.”

 

You ran your fingers through your hair and groaned, something you’d picked up from him. “If I can afford it, I can barely live in it. And driving forty minutes to work is not an option.”

 

He didn’t say anything else, and the two of you sat in a comfortable silence for the next twenty minutes while you continued to scour the internet for available apartments. You had had zero success by the time Kaiba was dragging you out to the limo.

 

The rest of the day proved just as fruitless, and you were becoming edgy. You were going to be evicted _tomorrow_. And you needed at least that much time just to pack all of your things, never mind the time it would take to run your ass around signing papers and making trips to the bank. At this point it was all but hopeless.

 

You trudged into Kaiba’s office with his last cup of coffee, not bothering to pour yourself one. The caffeine wasn’t going to do you any good by keeping you up, and at this point trying to be productive would just be a waste of time. You just sagged into the chair in front of his desk and dug the heels of your palms into your eyes. _I’m just so_ tired.

 

Kaiba carefully took his mug into his hands and sipped quietly, and you could feel his eyes on you. But he kept quiet for a long while, and you were sure he was thinking, you could hear him tapping his cup. Eventually you heard him start packing away his things, and you slowly removed yourself from the chair, taking his cup into the back so you could wash it in the morning. When you returned he was leaning against his desk with his arms folded, waiting for you.

 

It wasn’t like you expected much, but you really couldn’t help yourself, and Kaiba just looked like he could fix _anything_... You leaned against him gently, breathing deeply and evenly even through your exhaustion. Perhaps he was being merciful, but rather than shove you away he simply rested a hand on your head and played with your hair.

 

“Come home with me,” he said, moving his hand to your shoulder.

 

You looked up, your eyes tired and your nerves shot. You weren’t sure what he meant by that but you needed to take something off the table. “Sorry, Kaiba. I don’t do one-night stands.”

 

He looked annoyed, but it didn’t come through in his voice. “Neither do I. Just spend tonight at the mansion so I can make you an offer.”

 

There was no way to tell what he was on about, but if his earlier generosity was any indication, you didn’t really have anything to lose. So you decided to humor him and have a little sleepover, and you’d have the ability to tend to Mokuba if need be.

 

The car ride over was short, you dozed most of the way there, but as soon as the limo pulled up to the front door you were alive and alert. You followed Kaiba tentatively into the house, and this time, you took a better look around.

 

Yes, his wealth oozed from the walls, but it also wasn’t quite as impersonal as it had seemed the first time. If you looked closely and paid attention to the details, you could tell that it was very much a home to the Kaibas, as ostentatious as it was. Perhaps if one spent enough time within the walls it’d stop feeling so overbearing and a little cozier instead.

 

Kaiba lead you up the large staircase onto a wide landing, which traveled quite a ways off to the side and continued around a corner. Immediately to the left was a pair of double doors – probably Kaiba’s room – and another side hall with single, large door – which, by the looks of it, belonged to Mokuba. You were lead off to the right and down a little ways, where he opened up a guest room.

 

“You’ll stay here for the night, but if you need me I’ll be in the study at the end of the hall. Make yourself at home, just... try not to get lost.”

 

You watched him leave and suddenly the place seemed to get bigger. But you focused on one thing at a time, and first of all, you needed to change. After rummaging through the drawers and the wardrobe you found a suitable pair of pajamas that fit you quite nicely, maybe Kaiba would let you take them home with you... when you found one, that is. Next you cleaned up in the bathroom a little, draping your head over the side of the tub to wash out the hairspray. Once it was towel dried and up in a messy bun you washed your face and brushed your teeth, surprised as how easily you adjusted your routine to fit your surroundings.

 

Unfortunately, you weren’t tired anymore, and desperately needed something to drink. The question was, _could you find the kitchen_. Of course, it couldn’t possibly be _that_ hard, it wasn’t like the house went on forever or was an expertly crafted maze. It was just a house, and there had to be a kitchen _somewhere_.

 

Of course finding it was far easier said than done, and eventually you ended up having to ask for help. The maid seemed happy enough to assist, and guided you to the kitchen through a long hall and a side door, making sure your needs were met before dismissing herself.

 

The kitchen by itself looked like it had cost its own small fortune, but you really weren’t all that surprised, and surely you could find something in the fridge that would scarcely have fit your old bedroom. After locating the cups you poured yourself a glass of milk and walked over to the island and made use of one of the many barstools. You took a sip before pursing your lips. Chocolate milk would’ve been better.

 

“Something wrong, dear?”

 

You jumped at the sudden voice, and wildly looked around, spotting a woman leaning in through the service window. She looked like she was probably in her forties, and had arms to rival a top bartender, but her smile was warm and inviting.

 

“I’m sorry?”

 

She laughed. “You look a little disappointed over there.”

 

You looked back down at your glass. _Oh right._ “I don’t suppose there’s any Morinaga hiding somewhere in here?

 

The woman pointed to a cupboard with a grin. “You might have to dig for it, Mokuba likes to hide things from his brother.”

 

For a moment you looked confused, but found the large tub of the powder and set it on the counter before finding a spoon. “Why? It’s just chocolate milk powder.”

 

Again she laughed. “Honey, have you ever seen that child on a sugar high? Chocolate milk is like his crack.”

 

Here you laughed, too, mixing in a few spoonfuls until you were satisfied with the murky depths. You put the tub of Morinaga back in the cupboard and set the spoon in the sink, watching as the woman moved to join you in the kitchen. She strode over and pulled a canister of coffee off of a shelf and readied the coffee pot.

 

“So, who’s guest are you, if you don’t mind my asking?” she queried, giving you a look over her shoulder.

 

“Um, Kaiba’s,” you replied meekly.

 

She turned to face you, her hands resting on her hips. “No kidding? You must be that pretty lady he talks about so much~”

 

You scoffed. “Oh please, he doesn’t usually bother talking about someone unless he’s got something awful to say.”

 

“Would you feel better if I told you he used to complain about you all the time?” she offered, smiling coyly as she filled the coffee filter.

 

With a watchful eye you noticed she only put in five scoops. “Who’re you making coffee for?”

 

She huffed. “Mr. CEO.”

 

“You’ll want to put in another two scoops.”

 

Her head turned slowly and she eyed you carefully. “Are you sure?”

 

“Yeah, I know. But every time I tell him he’ll end up chewing on it he just tells me ‘there’s no such thing as coffee that’s too strong’,” you answered, shrugging your shoulders and nursing your glass.

 

After she did as suggested she turned back around to look at you. “Hn, no wonder he likes you so much.”

 

Before you had the chance to question her she moved back into the back room, leaving you alone with the coffee pot. It beeped only a few minutes later, and when the woman failed to return you decided to pour it yourself and bring it to him. You could find your way back upstairs. Probably.

 

Or not.

 

No, wait, you did. _Finally_. You trudged up the stairs and padded down to the end of the hall, seeing the light still on. You juggled your glass and his mug to open the door before quietly stepping inside and approaching his small desk.

 

He turned to look at you, surprised. “Did you need something?”

 

You shook your head. “No, when I went to the kitchen to get something to drink there was a woman down there making you coffee. I thought I’d bring it up.” You gingerly handed over the mug and smiled, clutching onto your own glass.

 

Kaiba set it down and looked back at you almost thoughtfully. “You do know you’re my guest and _not_ one of my servants, right?”

 

Sheepishly you nodded your head. “I know, but I like bringing you coffee, it’s like my ritual now. And it gives me an excuse to talk to you sometimes.”

 

He hummed in response. “I suppose, but you need to get some sleep, it’s late.”

 

As much as you didn’t want to admit it, he was right, and you were growing tired. So you bid him goodnight – reflexively kissing him on the cheek – and left the study, closing the door quietly behind you.

 

Even as you laid down to go to sleep you could feel that it wasn’t going to be a restful night.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this doesn't seem rushed or unreasonable.

You were startled awake by the sound of someone screaming, and instinctively threw yourself out into the hallway and listened. It’d sounded like someone said ‘Mom’, and your gut churned when you realized it had been Mokuba. You were already at his door when you heard Kaiba’s voice demanding to know what was going on, but you ignored him and pushed open his brother’s door.

 

Mokuba was sitting upright in his bed, panting and crying while his fingers fisted handfuls of his hair. You turned on the small lamp next to his bed and sat down in front of him, pulling his hands into your own. You cooed as he whined and gasped for air, rubbing circles into his palms. “Sshhh, it’s okay, I’m here,” you whispered, feeling Kaiba’s presence next to you.

 

But Kaiba kept quiet and watched as you mothered his brother, hushing him until he’d founds words to speak.

 

“I – I’m so sorry...” he choked out, curling in on himself. “I didn’t m – mean to do it, I just...”

 

You patiently gave him affection and little bits of encouragement to keep him talking.

 

“I never meant to... to...” He began fighting his sobs, and eagerly leaned into your open arms. “I’m so sorry I know it’s all my fault!” he wailed, his shoulders trembling as you gently rocked him back and forth.

 

Once you got him calmed down again you whispered to him. “Mokuba, what’s gotten into you? What are you talking about?”

 

He clutched at your shirt and continued to shiver. “It’s my fault she’s dead.”

 

Kaiba was immediately on the bed next to you, gently prying his brother from your arms and cupping his cheeks in his hands to make Mokuba look at him. “Mokuba, _listen to me_. That was _not_ your fault and _nobody_ blames you. It happened because it was _supposed_ to, and it had nothing to do with you, _do you understand_?”

 

Mokuba’s eyes turned up to meet Kaiba’s as they continued to shed tears, and you could see his lip quivering just as violently as the rest of his body. “Seto if I hadn’t –“

 

“Mokuba, _stop_! Blaming yourself for something you didn’t do isn’t going to solve anything. Even if you had been born first it wouldn’t have changed what happened. You need to let it go.”

 

You’d jumped in your skin as Kaiba had raised his voice, but you could see that he’d gotten through to his little brother. Mokuba nodded his head solemnly and Kaiba removed his hands, watching the other lay back down and curl up on his pillow.

 

As Kaiba rose and motioned for you to follow, you shook your head. “I’ll stay here for the night, just in case.”

 

“You don’t have to, he’ll be –“

 

“I _want_ to. Go get some sleep, I’ll take care of him.”

 

With a sigh he left the room, and you turned out the lamp on the bedside table. Mokuba didn’t protest to your staying, and anxiously crawled into your waiting arms. You tucked his head under your chin and held him protectively against you, quietly humming to him until he fell asleep.

 

Just before the sun rose you woke to find yourself on the edge of the bed, where Mokuba had forced you as he sprawled over his sheets. You figured you’d played your part and silently meandered back into your own bed for the rest of the morning, sleeping much more peacefully knowing that you’d been able to give him what he’d needed.

 

You woke again around ten ‘til eight, and would’ve panicked if not for the note set on the bedside table next to the clock. Sleepily, you rubbed your eyes and reached out, pulled it open and yawned as you attempted to read it.

 

‘ _Meet me in the kitchen when you wake up. We need to talk._ ’

–       _S.K._

Groggily, you forced yourself out of bed and adjusted your clothes, then made your way slowly back down the stairs and into the kitchen without getting lost. Kaiba was sitting at a barstool with a cup of coffee in his hands, and you very quickly noticed that he must generally sleep without a shirt.

 

But you didn’t let it faze you, and ignored him for your own cup of coffee, not offering a ‘good morning’ until you were finished and seated. “What’d you wanna talk about?”

 

He set his mug down and peered at the tablet in his hands, scrolling until he found something. “You’re getting evicted today.”

 

 _Wow, what a way to start my day. Thanks a lot, dickhead._ You sighed irritably, setting your jaw as you looked at him. “I _know_. What’s your point?”

 

He slid the tablet over to you. “I found you an acceptable apartment.”

 

You eagerly set aside your coffee and grabbed for his tablet, flipping through the pictures. It was gorgeous, and included all of the little amenities. But your heart sank when you realized you couldn’t afford the rent. “My paycheck was great and all, but –“

 

“I’ll cover rent.”

 

It took you a moment to process, but you somehow still didn’t like it. “I don’t want to owe you interest _and_ rent.”

 

Kaiba shook his head. “You won’t, just interest.” When you huffed, he pulled his tablet away from you. “You’re other option is to stay here.”

 

You blinked at him, briefly looking around in confusion. “Okay, tell me again, _why_ are you being so nice to me?”

 

“Because Mokuba needs you.”

 

“No, I don’t want an answer centered around your brother. I want you to be _honest_ with me.” It was far too early for Kaiba to have thrown this at you, but it wasn’t like you had time to think about it.

 

He exhaled slowly and leaned against the table on his arms, avoiding eye contact. Eventually he hung his head and forced himself to speak. “You’ve been... kinder to me than what I deserve... I owe you.”

 

It wasn’t very hard to read into him most of the time, and you could pretty easily deduct that he was trying to show you that on some level, he cared, and he was trying – in his own way – to repay your kindness with his own. That was all fine and good, but now you were faced with yet another decision. Do you continue to live on your own and have him pay your rent, or do you move into the mansion to live _with_ him? Tough choice.

 

But truthfully, you’d feel far guiltier if he was paying your rent. “Well I guess we’re gonna be roommates.”

 

* * *

 

 

Kaiba had your things moved in before the sun set, and you took liberty with picking out your own room and living space, opting for the largest one available on the second floor with his and Mokuba’s. You had the staff sort your boxes, putting your clothes, toiletries, and personal things in your room and stacking the rest along the wall by your door. You’d opted to leave most of your kitchen wares other things of the sort at the apartment, leaving you with a modest stack of boxes to go through. Originally you were going to have most of your “house” things put in storage, but Kaiba allowed you freedom to decorate the house with them, minded it was _tasteful_. But he reasoned that if you were going to be living there then you should be allowed to make it feel a little more like home.

 

Mokuba happily aided with unpacking, constantly rambling on about how excited he was that you’d be living with them. He was good company until he started helping to sort your clothes, and made comments until he was nearly blue in the face.

 

But by the time you were ready settle down and relax before bed, you’d gone through the bulk of your things, and had been given a lovely tour of the house. It was massive by nature, but not quite impossible to find your way around, and you were sure that it’d become home in no time.

 

Currently you found yourself curled up in the theater room watching a movie, snuggled into a mess of pillows on the round lounge bed with Kaiba and Mokuba on one side of you. It didn’t seem like it was something that happened very often, you knew Kaiba to be a workaholic that generally showed up before office hours even on Sunday. But for the moment you savored the company, knowing this to be a rare occurrence.

 

Mokuba ended up leaving for bed before the movie was over, but Kaiba didn’t complain and you wished him goodnight with a warm hug and a few peppered kisses. When he was gone you settled back into your blanket, catching Kaiba’s eye.

 

You’d caught him glancing at you for most of the night, but he’d always turn his head away after you’d spied him, and the process would repeat every handful of minutes. This time, however, he held out an arm and invited you to get comfortable. Whether or not he particularly meant _cuddling_ was up for debate, but he didn’t protest to the affection – or return much of it – and simply draped his arm along your side.

 

Even though you still weren’t sure where your relationship with Kaiba stood, you didn’t feel awkward around him all that often, and you were thankful. After a little while you could feel him lightly drawing circles on your skin with the tips of his fingers, and you couldn’t help the smile that curved your lips.

 

When Kaiba muted the ending credits you looked at the clock, surprised to see that it was well after midnight, and you were sure that he’d more than likely end up going to the office in the morning. So you sat up carefully and stretched your arms, eliciting a few light pops from your back and joints. When you looked back over Kaiba was rubbing his eyes. “You should probably go to bed,” you offered.

 

He opened his eyes and peered at you, glanced at the clock, then let his eyes wander back to your tired smile. After a moment he reached out a hand and pulled you back down with him, finding your lips with his own as he turned to loom over you, snaking an arm under the small of your back.

 

Technically it was the first time you’d been intimate with him, even though it didn’t go any farther than kissing, but the sentiment was there just the same. It was different this time, he moved with you, established a rhythm, and allowed give and take. He pushed and let you pull, and took the time to figure out what really made you melt between his fingers.

 

Soon you had to pull away, breathlessly panting as he found other places to kiss you. It wasn’t that you minded, but... “Kaiba...”

 

He paused for a moment, then propped himself up to look at you, his eyes tracing the curve of your lips before they trailed upwards to meet your own, almost hesitating. Even in the dim light you could still make out the blush that dusted his cheeks. “You don’t have to call me that.”

 

There was no simple meaning to his statement, no single way to interpret the complexity of its intent. But you were well aware of this, and could make a list of the things he was trying to say. He trusted you, he respected you, and he saw you truly as an equal.

 

And somehow, you’d find a way to honor that.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the last chapter of part 1!

When you woke Sunday morning you felt well rested, stretching and arching against your sheets and across your bed. When you finally opened your eyes you almost jumped at the sight of unfamiliar surroundings, then remembered _oh wait, I live here now._ And for whatever reason, that put you in a lovely mood.

 

You showered and put on something comfortable, checking your phone as you headed downstairs.

 

_Seto Kaiba_

_There’s no need for you to come in this morning, stay home with Mokuba. I’ll see you when I get off work._

 

With a smile, you replied cheekily.

 

_Good, because I wasn’t going to come in anyway~_

 

You found the younger Kaiba milling about in the kitchen moaning at the woman you’d encountered the other night. “What’s he on about now?”

 

Mokuba sat in a barstool and slumped across the island. “Ms. Ihara is taking _forever_ with my breakfast.”

 

She popped her head out through the service window to smile at him. “Well, darlin’, you shouldn’t have waited until you were so hungry before you said something.”

 

When she asked what you wanted for breakfast you blushed, not used to having people wait on you. Of course, that was going to become normal now, wasn’t it? “Uh, I’ll have what he’s having.”

 

While the two of you waited to eat Mokuba shot you sly grins in between texts as he fiddled with his phone. Eventually he was just flat out smiling at you without any indication of what his reason was.

 

“Okay _what_ is your issue?” you finally demanded, boring holes into his stare.

 

His grin only widened. “So what happened last night?”

 

“ _Oh my God._ ”

 

“Come on, tell me!”

 

“No!”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because it’s none of your business!”

 

“But he’s my brother.”

 

“Then have _him_ tell you.”

 

“... Okay.”

 

“ _No wait I take it back_!”

 

His merciless teasing last all through breakfast and well into the afternoon, even as the two of you hopped from room to room trying to keep yourself occupied. ‘Just tell me’, ‘Something _did_ happen, right?’, ‘Did you guys make out? You probably did’, ‘Oh shit... _you already slept together didn’t you_?’, and countless other comments flew out of his mouth at an almost constant speed.

 

By the time the sun started to set and evening settled in you’d had plenty of that. “Okay Mokuba, either you shut up, or _I_ shut you up.”

 

He sighed and waved you off, offing a comment about it having been boring for the past few hours anyways. So he quietly followed you to the kitchen and watched you make a pot of coffee, growing curious as you fished out a coffee thermos from one of the cupboards. “What are you doing?”

 

“I’m making coffee.”

 

Mokuba groaned. “ _Obviously_ , why do you need a thermos, are we going somewhere?”

 

You kept your mouth shut until the pot chimed and you filled the portable mug. “Yes we are.”

 

Hesitantly he grabbed a set of keys of the hook by a door you hadn’t noticed before and lead you questioningly to one of the various cars in the garage. “Where to?”

 

“Kaiba Corp.”

 

He picked a car and dropped into the driver’s seat with a loud sigh, starting the engine and staring at you. “Do you _really_ need to take him coffee? There’s a pot in the –“

 

The look you gave him cut him off, and you assumed you looked somewhat like a wild banshee, which seemed to do the trick just fine. He didn’t complain any further, and turned up the radio to drown out the awful silence.

 

As soon as he pulled in to the front lot you were out of the car before he even cut the engine, and you could hear him jogging to catch up with you as you opened the doors. You’d never been on the ground floor during this hour, generally you were at your desk, so the crowd of people unsettled you.

 

Mokuba took your hand and lead you around bustling groups of people, sidestepping and weaving in and out of moving clusters of bodies. Finally the two of you reached an elevator off the side of the front desk, and neither of you bothered waiving your ID at the woman who probably just ignored you anyhow. Once inside, you heaved a sigh of relief, glad to be out of the crowd you so seldomly dealt with.

 

It was hard not to clutch the coffee thermos between your fingers, truthfully you were a tad nervous about seeing Kai – _Seto_ during work hours, especially if you weren’t at work. Also the whole name thing was going to take a lot of getting used to.

 

The bell sounded as the doors opened, and the two of you stepped out into his office as quietly as possible. Mokuba made for the couch while you approached his brother, pointedly setting his coffee on his desk as he looked at you.

 

“Wait, why are you here –?”

 

“ _You fucked up my ritual, don’t question me just take it_ ,” you replied, glaring at the other mug that he’d only barely touched.

 

By the way he looked between the thermos and the mug you were glaring at with disdain, and decidedly picked the former over the latter, you were sure that the secretary hadn’t caught on yet. Good thing you showed up.

 

“Thank you.”

 

You nodded with a sigh, feeling content that you’d been able stick to your routine without much of an issue. Honestly you’d half expected that you’d get kicked out and told to go back home, but since Kim wasn’t a coffee drinker it was expected that she simply wouldn’t be able to provide the kind of coffee he’d come to rely on.

 

That was all right, you were more than happy to drive to the office every day if that’s what it took. Besides, that’s basically what you’d agreed to when you’d bargained for your own café, and the thought still made you all warm and fuzzy inside.

 

You’d absentmindedly found yourself sitting on his desk staring out the window, and when you realized what you were doing you were a little surprised he hadn’t told you to get off. You supposed you couldn’t help it, the view was nice, and you wondered if he ever turned around to enjoy it.

 

But that got you thinking, and again you couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that the whole thing was just so weird. You started out working in a coffee shop, using it pay your bills and make tiny dents in your student loans. Originally, you couldn’t stand the sight of _Kaiba_ waltzing in and ordering you around like he owned you. And somehow, somewhere along the line, you’d done something to change his mind.

 

It really didn’t seem like it had been that long ago, but time really was just a relative concept, and you weren’t about to question it either. You figured it very well could have been years, but perhaps the outcome would have been the same either way. And you were glad that you’d ended up where you did, even if it had been all at once.

 

In some strange way you just seemed to fit in with their dysfunctional little family, Mokuba might as well have thought the world of you, and you’d somehow managed to have grown on Seto, too. You really wouldn’t have it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It might be just a little bit before I start posting chapters for part 2, I'd like to get a bigger head start on it so I don't catch up to myself. But I hope that this story has met your expectations, and I hope that part 2 will do the same! Thank you all so much for your love and support, you make my writing worthwhile!

**Author's Note:**

> The rest of the chapters have been finished and I will continue to update regularly as I get to work on part 2.


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